Learning something new can often be easy or difficult, depending on the task at hand. One thing that I found surprisingly easy to learn was swimming, despite not having the usual opportunities to learn as a child. Unlike those who grew up near streams or had access to private pools, swimming was a new and exciting experience for me.
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I have been having the thought of going swimming but I got discouraged when I remember I can't swim and also it won't be fun swimming alone all by yourself without a group of people to talk with and all that. Everything turned like I wished last year when we had a staff meeting.
Last December, during a staff picnic that included swimming, I initially hesitated when I saw the size of the pool. Fear crept in as I watched others dive in, but their confidence inspired me to give it a try. With their guidance, I learned the basics of swimming surprisingly quickly. Even without any prior knowledge, I was able to adapt to the water effortlessly, much to everyone's surprise.
We were two who didn't know how to swim, I was shocked at how I was able to adapt to the swimming so easily even without prior knowledge whatsoever. While the other girl who hasn't learnt too, she had this fear for water as she explained she almost got drowned in a stream and since then, the fear had never departed.
On the other hand, public speaking was a challenge that haunted me from childhood through university. As an introverted person, speaking in front of a large audience filled me with anxiety and fear. I struggled with stage fright and often found myself unable to articulate my thoughts coherently.
During childhood, the feeling like I would be killed run down my veins, anxiety and fear come from nowhere. Sometimes, I end up crying on the pulpit, or fiddle with my cloth or the mic or I don't say anything at all.
Many people tagged me a shy person. They stopped adding me in so many presentations in church. I had a friend of mine then who was the clear opposite of who I was, she was very vocal and bold. She tried all she could to get me out of my shell but It was to no avail.
I carried this with me till secondary school, I struggled with stage fright same to university.
However, through my university courses and dedicated practice, I gradually overcame my fear of public speaking. I pushed myself to step out of my comfort zone, practicing with friends and seeking guidance from experienced speakers. Joining the children's unit in church provided me with valuable opportunities to hone my speaking skills, leading to significant improvement over time.
Reflecting on these experiences, I learned that while some things may come easily, others require perseverance and determination. Swimming taught me the value of embracing new challenges with enthusiasm, while public speaking taught me the importance of pushing past my fears to achieve personal growth. Both experiences ultimately shaped me into a more resilient and confident individual.
