To Escape your FEAR you have to GO THROUGH IT not around it
Posted by
Dr. Preeti Chauhan
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The title of my blog is actually a quote from Richie Norton .
The Mountain Dew video says it all “Dar ke Age Jeet Hai (Victory awaits the one who overcomes fear ). “
Today’s blog post is about how I overcame my fear .
Every person has his or her own set of fears and facing those fears is what makes us stronger .I too have had fears and still harbor many more .
Apart from fear of dogs , heights, deep water and claustrophobia ,the one fear that affected me the most in my life was my fear of public speaking . I had always been a bright student but the moment our teacher would put a question to the class ,even though I knew the answer very well still I would try to shrink and slink away so that the teacher would not ask me to stand up and answer the question .The very thought of standing up and speaking out loud in front of the whole class would make me tremble .God forbid , if the teacher did single me out to stand up and answer in front of the whole class then my tongue would get parched and my palms would go cold and sweaty and everything would start looking blurry .I would spurt out the answer in an almost dazed state .Most of the times I needed to ask my friends about what exactly did I say while answering as I could not clearly recall it myself .
Since I had always been good at studies , most of the time the teachers would zero in upon me .So when the time came for casting for a play in English , our English Teacher Mrs. Sachdeva pointed her finger to me and asked me to participate in the play .I meekly tried to resist her efforts but she would not buy any of my excuses and just would not take budge .
So it was settled that I was to play the teenage daughter of the main character . It was a small role and I had only a few lines , so I started bracing myself up for the role .On the first day of the rehearsal ,Mrs. Sachdeva explained to me that in the next scene I had to dress up in a mini skirt and dance to loud music while the character who was supposed to be my Father would try to seek my attention .
All my bravery went down the drain that very instant , I had prepped myself to mug up a few dialogues and throw them out somehow ,but ” to dance” and that too in a “mini skirt” that just hit me in the gut.
I immediately stepped back and gave up ,I told the teacher that I just did not have it in me to do all this in front of the whole school.Mrs. Sachdeva , our teacher was very kind hearted .She and the whole cast joined together to help me get the right attitude and then get the dance steps right .
I recited the “Hanuman Chalisa” in my heart and that gave me courage .I told myself that if so many people had faith in me then I should also trust myself .I told myself that I had plenty of time to practice before the final performance and if I try and try there should be no reason to fail.
So I closed my eyes and did a few twirls and twists and the whole crew broke in applause …and I overcame my fear of public performance that day .I knew then that I could now perform in front of hundreds of students ,teachers and parents .
Now the only issue remaining was that of the mini skirt .Mrs. Sachdeva easily settled for a jeans instead of the mini skirt and I finally felt sorted .
Then came the Grand Finale – the Annual Day. My parents would be coming and suddenly it filled me with dread all over again. If I faltered ,then not only would I embarrass my teacher and the rest of the crew but also my parents sitting I the audience .I started feeling butterflies in my stomach .
The program started with prize distribution for students who had excelled in various fields.Suddenly I heard my name being called for topping my class .I forgot everything and rushed to the stage to receive my award.That night I was called to the stage again and again for getting top positions in others co-curricular activities .This dispelled my fear of the stage to some extent ,as I had been there below the arch lights ,in front of the photographer posing for pictures and not feeling an iota of fear.
I was feeling rather proud and confident of myself at that moment .I had regained my composure and went to get dressed for the play .
When the time came ,Our play was played out well and everybody enjoyed it .My friends came to me and congratulated me on performing well .It was a bit role in a small play but a huge milestone in my life for me .I had overcome my fear that day .No more did I sweat or shrink fearing to hear my name being called out .I was now ready to face the world ,my arena .
Life is all about taking calculated risk .The bigger the risk , the higher the reward life gives us .There is only one way to overcome your fear and that is to go through it ,traipsing around it will never help us escape it.
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