Confront Your Fears (I Found It!)

I was a shy person. Hard to believe but very true. It's been this way since my childhood. I was scared to associate with my peers. Growing up, we (my siblings and I), where not allowed to mingle. Our parents shielded us from other kids so we don't pick up the wrong morals. I was always on my own and doing my stuffs.

I live in Lagos, and at barely 10 years, I started boarding school at Federal Government College(FGC) Ilorin, Kwara State. I made a lot of friends but I was still  my shy self and it held me back in many ways.

So I thought, how could this be happening to me if I wanted to become a successful lawyer? Then, I decided to join the Press Club and I had to read school news at the Assembly Hall to both staff and students and the Principal of course. Nice! Who does that? Shy smallie like me, ke? I will just faint or miss my steps when climbing the podium or cry when the whole school begins to laugh at me if I miss my lines. Oh My Gosh! I was just in SS2 na! Ok, I admit, SS2 is "big" and I was already a ''senior" but I preferred to be called that than to show that I was that. Our staff adviser was the Vice Principal Special Duties and he encouraged me to give it a try. One day, I did, and the feedback I got after that day's assembly was overwhelming! From the "You didn't jitter'', to the ''Wow, it didn't sound like your first time, I didn't know you were this good'' to the ''I love your diction'' and all dem nice nice things you can think of. My morale increased in thousands by the second.

And that was how my journey into discovering myself began.

Like a bird outta her cage, I gradually started opening up, having more friends and mingling with my peers. I became the Social Prefect in my SS3. I soar higher, I challenged myself to greater things. I'm a Catholic, so I joined the Lay Readers Society in Church (a platform where I can read the Bible to others during Mass), I also joined the Ushering unit. During my days at the University, I held the position of the Financial Secretary and Vice President of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) in my third and fourth year respectively.  All of these experiences has helped me curb my shyness. I may not be there yet, but I am sure I'm not where I used to be. I'm a better person today and I strive to be better than I was yesterday.

You too can be better. Challenge yourself and confront your fears. There's something inside of you that the world has not yet seen and the world is waiting to see! Don't keep the world waiting.  Do you, Be original. Express yourself and you'll be better for it, you'll be happier, you'll be fulfilled, you'll love yourself. Try it and be better!

Sincerely Yours,
Barby.