Here’s a blog that I particularly like because it’s a story about shyness and public speaking–Places where I myself had a breakthrough in the Landmark Forum. One thing I think is very interesting is that the writer notices the difference between the way other people perceive him and the way he perceives himself, and starts to realize that the negative conversation he hold about himself might not be true. Without further ado:
It’s been 10 days since I last updated my blog. Last weekend I spent 3 days attending the landmark education. I am sure a lot of people could have benefited from it. I learned some very interesting points of view and I found myself thinking about it the past week. Especially the moment-to-moment approach of life, it does make sense but it will take a lot of practice to actually apply it in real life. I’ve heard many extraordinary stories of change and transformation. I think most people are more involved than I am. I am so used to be an observor. But this time i did participate. I am a very shy person and never goes up to the stage to talk in front of groups. Then i realized it is just my story of myself. What happened was I actually went up to the stage and talked about myself, about my fear and my realization. The speaker said to me “You are doing so well here, if you are the person you said you are, then who’s the person standing here?” What’s amazing was many people came to me afterward and told me how well I did the speech on the stage, they never see a person in me who is afraid of public-speaking. A girl sit next to me said she has went to many public-speaking seminars and she never see me as one of a person who is afraid of public-speaking when i was on stage. I was quite nervous going up stage but once i started talking, I did really well. It really got me thinking, why I am the only one who sees myself as this shy, isolated anti-social loner, while others see me very comfortable talking and interacting with people. Maybe they don’t know me enough. But what if I free myself from the story I told about myself being always shy and alone, then i can be anyone in another person’s eyes.
Go to the Ruby’s Law blog for the whole post.
