Over a decade ago when I was in secondary school I had to do a spoken piece for one of my classes that I would be graded on.
Luckily it was only in front of the teacher but I was still incredibly nervous. I wanted to be good at it and for it to go well but I wasn’t very confident in my ability. I was also someone who wasn’t always comfortable speaking so it being compulsory wasn’t ideal.
Yet at the same time, I was very aware of how much I held back and how different I could be if I could let go.
In the comfort of my own home I worked hard to prepare and found myself almost looking forward to it.
I ended up with a pretty average grade but afterwards my teacher old me that she could see me doing something that involved speaking in the future. It felt like the biggest compliment and it was also encouraging.
This teacher was opening me up to the possibility of change and reminding me that my future self did not have to be constrained by my current circumstances.
The Daily Gemm 