Two years ago, after taking Terry Burns' class 'Too Shy to Pitch or Promote',
I began building and using my persona and the Authentically Me mini series will cover what I did, how I did it, and the results I've seen. The Set Up
Shortly after taking Terry's class, I decided that if I wanted a ladies' Bible study to attend I was going to have to speak up and see if there were others interested. There were but no one wanted to teach (hey, we're all busy people and teaching takes far more time than simply attending and participating, so I totally understood). I saw that if I was going to have a study to attend I would need to teach it, so I pulled on my big girl panties and stepped to the plate, armed with what I had learned in Terry's class.
Now you have to understand, contributing a thought to our Sunday School lesson was enough to give me heart palpitations. It wasn't just speaking in front of people I struggled with, it was also being the center of attention. After 15+ years of trying to be invisible, the thought of teaching was enough to make me sick to my stomach. It wasn't knowing the material, it was communicating it. Thankfully, there were only 5 or 6 us and those ladies helped me and taught me sooo much. LoL. Those same ladies are still helping and teaching me things!
I had two choices:
- I could continue to hide and miss out on many opportunities and fun things, and grow stagnant
- OR, I could face my fear in a safe environment, with ladies I knew who would laugh with me and help me over the rough spots. Ladies who wanted me to succeed and grow and were willing to invest in me as I learned and grew.
Even though it looks like a no-brainer from here, it was a difficult, life changing choice for me because of the fear factor. I chose to teach and dealt with the weekly sick stomach, the fear and nervousness, and the constant feeling of inadequacy. It was the right choice and a choice I'd make again if I needed to.
Posts
Looking forward to reading the rest of this series! It has been wonderful to watch you become "you," my friend. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to this series!
ReplyDeleteYour summary of your two choices is good...I continue to be amazed at the role that fear plays all too often.
Great post. I took Terry's class last year. Loved it. I used to do lots of public speaking, but have been hiding since becoming a mother. Well, the times, they are a changing. I need to step out and with God's help, I can do it. Thanks for the nudge.
ReplyDelete