We are afraid of the wrong things.

Ever since I found out I had to do a presentation in front of my class, I became afraid. It’s the kind of fear that cripples me and makes my stomach churn. The idea of standing in front of everyone, and having all eyes on me is a very daunting thought. When I get nervous, no matter how well I prepare, I will forget what I’m supposed to say and start to shake. A lot of the time, my out-spoken nature is misinterpreted for confidence, but I truly hate being the centre of attention. I’d rather be somewhere in the background watching my classmates do their thing.

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This whole thing got me thinking about my reasons for being afraid. All I had to do was stand up and speak about something that I prepared for beforehand.  So why was I so afraid? If your classmates do better presentations than professionals, it’s enough to make anyone intimidated. Everyone is different though; some might be great at public speaking, while others might be good at writing or doing math. You might be super confident and have a friend that is the most introverted person on this earth.

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When the time came for me to do my presentation, I gave myself a pep talk and told myself that this isn’t a big deal (although it really did feel like it) and that everything was going to be okay. Most times we are afraid of the wrong things. We are crippled with fear when doing a presentation, but we will drive recklessly in our cars and risk our lives. When put it into that perspective, I realise that there are far worse things to be afraid of, and it makes me feel better.

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