From Shy & Anxious To Speaking Live
A Childhood Fear, A Live Event, And A Lesson In Courage
A personal story about confronting fears and embracing opportunities
If you had met me as a child, you might not believe I’d one day be teaching yoga, leading meditations and speaking in front of people…sometimes I still can’t believe it myself! I was so shy that I couldn’t even ask my elementary school teachers to use the restroom—I had to ask a friend to do it for me. Bless you, Sierra!
Even in my 20’s, my mom was still making phone calls for me because I felt so anxious about talking on the phone…although I quickly overcame that fear (for the most part) through a job at the veterinary teaching hospital, where I found myself answering upwards of 300 calls per day.
For years, I let those fears and anxieties hold me back. It honestly wasn’t until a few years ago that I started to realize everything I was missing out on and consciously made a decision to push back against those fears.
I was recently invited to be part of a live on Insight Timer where listeners could get to know their meditation teachers (it’s called Ask Your Guides). It was something I really wanted to do—but, as usual, the fears/doubts/worries started to sneak in soon after I agreed to participate in the event. I knew in my heart that I wanted to do this event so I decided I wouldn’t let fear hold me back again!
Anxiety reared its head in the hours leading up to the event. Once the live began, I could feel my heart pounding and my body heating up. I slowed my breath down (deep, belly breaths!) and focused my awareness on the conversation and the people around me, not the what-if’s swirling around in my mind.
And you know what? Over time, the nerves relaxed and I found myself having so much fun. It lit the fire within my soul and left a permasmile on my face that lasted all evening. I also felt really proud of myself afterwards because I didn’t let the fears/doubts/worries stop me from doing something my soul desired.
If you’d like to watch the panel discussion and hear our conversation, you can tap the image above or click here.
A Simple Practice
Next time fear tells you to stop, try this:
Pause & Acknowledge – Notice the fear and name it gently: "I feel nervous about this."
Ask Yourself: – Do I really want to do this? If the answer is yes, fear is just along for the ride.
Take a Small Step – Instead of waiting for the fear to disappear, take one small action with the fear there.
Celebrate Afterwards – No matter how it goes, acknowledge the courage it took to try.
Growth happens in those little moments when we decide to move forward despite the fear.
Wishing you courage on your path.
Featured Meditation
Speaking of anxiety, here is a guided meditation for anyone feeling anxious. It begins with a calming breathing technique called Belly Breathing/Diaphragmatic Breathing and includes a series of positive affirmations to support feelings of anxiety.
Positive affirmations have the power to help you shift from negative thoughts and rumination, to positive, empowering thoughts. They remind you of your strength, hope, and resilience. Repeating them often reinforces a positive and resilient mindset.
Click the image above to listen on YouTube (use an ad-blocker like Brave to prevent any ads) or click here to listen on Insight Timer.
Is there something you’ve been avoiding because of fear?
Let me know in the comments…what’s one thing you’d love to do, even if it makes you nervous? Or, what’s something you accomplished recently where you didn’t let fear hold you back? I’d love to hear!
With Cheer,
Ahsa
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