work in an environment where 95% of my company is white. 

Everyday, I am surrounded by smart, English speaking colleagues and I feel like I am not qualified to be there. 

I have low self-esteem because I am too shy to speak up and constantly lower myself in front of people.

But one day I realized that I’ve been too negative with my thinking. I realize that yes, I am scared and shy, but there is nothing wrong with that.

But what is wrong is knowing that I feel this way, and not doing anything to change it. 

I know that I suck at public speaking, but not doing anything to improve myself? How long was I going to wallow in pity and self-doubt?

In the workplace, I’m not going to thrive if I keep thinking this way. If I don’t improve myself, I’m never going to step out of my nest. 

In order to get better, I started shifting my thinking from, “I can’t do this. I suck at this,” to “How can I use these as opportunities to improve my public speaking skills?”

And surprisingly, it works.

When I started viewing things as less of a problem, and more as opportunities for growth, I get excited. I feel challenged—and this has allowed me to take a step forward.

Think about it like this: Yes, you’re scared. But when will you overcome these things if you’re never willing to challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone? 

You can keep wishing and wishing that you were as good as Jane Doe over there, but that could only get you so far. 

You need to take the first step. 

Here are some tips that has helped me, and I think will help you, too:

Not Everything is About You

When I get too shy to contribute to a conversation because I am nervous about drawing attention to myself, I think “Okay, here I am. Am I paying special attention to anyone in particular? 

More often than not, I’ll realize that I’m just overthinking. Do I remember what my boss wore yesterday to the meeting? Do I care? No.

When you think about things from this point of view, it really puts things into perspective. 

Most times, you think everyone is paying attention to you, but then if you ask yourself “Am I paying attention to anyone in particular?” you’ll realize that no, you are not. 

You don’t even care! 

Everything is An Opportunity for Improvement

When I get scared of public speaking, I tell myself “Just think of these as opportunities to improve my public speaking skills,” and for some reason, my anxiety goes away.

I can’t really explain how or why it works, but the best part?

Sometimes, it actually makes me excited because now, I can’t wait to show off in front of people. When I think of these as opportunities to show off my skills, I feel ultimately better!

Someone is Probably Thinking the Same Thing You’re Thinking

If you’re feeling a certain way, there’s a chance one or more person is feeling the same way. 

Ever been in a situation where you were just thinking about an answer and the person across from you said the exact same thing out loud—and they’re correct? 

Yeah, it’s not a coincidence. I bet a bunch of other people were also thinking the same thing.

The next time you’re in a group meeting, just say what you want to say. More than likely, someone will say, “I was just thinking the same thing,” or build off of what you say.

I used to hold my thoughts to myself because I thought my contribution will sound so stupid, but then I hear someone else say the same thing and I realize, hey it’s not so stupid afterall!

You’re Probably Helping Someone Out

I will never forget the time I used to work at a bakery. Companies would sign up to volunteer to help us bake cookies. 

One time, I sat at a table of six women. Everyone was getting along great and chatting away but off in one corner, there was this woman who looked very awkward and out of place.

Although I was very shy, I thought, “Why not take this time to get to know her and practice my speaking skills?” So, I moved to sit next to her and asked, “Hi! How are you doing?”

That one question sparked further questions, and before long, we were chatting away. Then, she started talking about yoga—and although I know nothing about yoga, I contributed whatever pieces of information I knew about yoga to keep the convo going.

She shared that she ran a yoga practice near a university and then all of a sudden, the woman across from us looked up and exclaimed, “No way! I live near there!”

For whatever reason, that remark sparked a whole conversation around the table and everyone started sharing where they lived and their favorite hobbies. 

I just remembered feeling so happy because now she has someone to talk to and she was having a great time.

What is the purpose of telling this story? To make a statement that your actions may spark others to take action, too.

Like you, others are probably waiting for someone to bring up that one thing—and you could be that person. 

Knowing that my speaking up will encourage others to speak up, too just makes me more willing to speak up.

How do you get over public speaking? I’d love to know your thoughts, so comment below!