I remember it like it was yesterday. I was scheduled to give a presentation in front of my 4th grade class before Spring Break. All fifteen kids were assigned days and time slots. I saw my name on that big calendar and gulped hard. I proceeded to dread and get severe anxiety for every day leading up to my presentation. I had nightmares about it. I wanted school to blow up or to have a fire alarm so I could get out of it (of course that didn’t happen). When the fateful day arrived, I ended up doing my presentation and it was totally fine. My classmates were nice to me. Hey, I’m still standing.
Suffice it to say, public speaking probably ranked highly in my top 5 worst fears.
A couple decades later, and look at GOD.
Do you see all those frickin people?
YES. I was tapped to teach a blogging masterclass as part of GTBank Fashion Week in Lagos, Nigeria. The original plan was for me just to cover the event. but when they asked me to teach. I said sure.
Of course I still get butterflies. Of course I still get nervous. But the Universe has a way of rewarding the bold and fearless; those who are willing to accept whatever plan and purpose GOD has determined for them.
Surreal is the only word I could use to describe the experience. As I waited outside, a video of our 10th Anniversary Party played on a large screen in front of seemingly hundreds of people.
Was I prepared? Somewhat. I woke up super early to put together a Powerpoint Presentation. But did things go perfectly? No! Most of the time my slides didn’t match up to what I was saying or come up at the perfect time. But it was all good.
People are generally kind and open. Noone is out to ‘get you.’ And the more you stand up in front of rooms. the easier it gets.
To all my born introverts who grew up painfully shy and were AFRAID to speak up in class…know that you can get over it, one day. That quiet mousy person who has anxiety over speaking to a little over a dozen people can come to speak in front of hundreds…and perhaps one day, millions.
Love + Light,
**For the day. I wore a Betty Jean Dress from K Waters Fashion as a top, a Moschino logo belt, Zephans and Co pants, and Schutz shoes.
Images: Seun__O
