What Pushing My Comfort Zone Taught Me
I recently signed up for a public speaking course in Atlanta. Our group meets once a week, and everyone takes turns delivering short three to five minute talks on any topic they want. My talks always start with a plan, but once I run out of steam, I somehow end up back on my favorite subject: self improvement. My first two sessions were rough. It was hard to articulate anything when twenty pairs of eyes were locked onto me and my brain felt like it was buffering. But after a few attempts, I learned how to slow down, breathe, and actually ground myself on stage. Around the same time, I began attending networking events more consistently. Every couple of weeks I’d go to a tech Meetup and challenge myself to start conversations with people I had never met. These are things I never imagined I would do. Growing up as a skinny, awkward homeschooled kid gave me a lot of false beliefs about people and about myself. The past few months have completely reshaped that. Before a talk or a networ...
