Have you ever been scared or nervous before a presentation, and your hands get super sweaty, and your face gets red and you get mad at yourself?  Have you been so scared before a presentation you just wanted to disappear so you didn’t have to do it?  I know that exact feeling you're having.  The reason we do that is because our confidence slowly disappears down deep inside of us. 

        When I was in sixth grade we had to do a presentation about something you know a lot about and like to do.  I chose to do field hockey.  Everyone had to look up lots of facts about your topic.  When field hockey started, who started it, why, and what it is.  Then I explained and talked about the rules.  After I did the rules I showed a how-to, so I did how to hit. I showed the parts of a hockey stick and what you would use each part for.  We worked on these for close to a month.  By the time it was my turn I was so nervous everyone told me I looked like a red hot tomato. 

        When I first went up there to do my presentation I could barely hold it together.  At one point I just wanted to tell my teacher I couldn’t do it and quit. My friends could tell I was nervous, so they told me that I got this and no matter what happened, even if I messed up, I did a great job.  I took a deep breath and I got myself to even be able to speak. I told myself there was nothing to be scared of and just act like I’m talking to my friends. 

        The first few words were a little quiet, but then I realized that I talk to people everyday, and there is nothing different from what I’m doing now. After I started talking and getting into the flow my body became just tense and less statue looking.  My heart didn’t race 10,000 times fast, and my face became less red.  I became more confident in the words I was saying and the way I said them. Once I got into the rhythm I told myself that my friends were right and I could do this. I stood up taller and stumbled less on the words I was saying.  After the presentation I felt good about myself, and I realized that there was nothing to be scared about. I just had to be more confident in myself.

        Not many people realized this but all people who were or still are now successful had this experience when they were young, like you and me. But those people found how to use confidence in their own life just like how you will become more and more confident as you get older.  These successful people figure out that if they are confident in themselves, and in all the work they put into getting where they are now, they just had to be confident. You may think what is this person talking about? She keeps saying you just have to be confident in yourself;  I don’t even know how or what that means. 

         Everyone will have a moment in their life.  Whether this is a test coming up, you have to go on a really scary roller coaster, you have to move away to a new school, it could be anything.  And sometimes that scariness will scare you so much that you don’t even want to try to do it.  But instead of letting that take over you, you rise and confidently tell about whatever you’re doing. In other words, don’t be scared to face your fears. 

        Now when I have something important to do, when I have to speak up to lots of people, I don’t have to worry about what other people might think about if I mess up on a word.  I have confidence in my work and in the way I speak. 

        Now that I learned that if you have confidence you can do anything you want, I feel proud of myself now, and I can’t believe I was so doubtful when I was younger.  You just have to focus on the positive stuff people tell you and let the negative stuff leave your mind. Just think, yes, I can do this, instead of, I’m not sure I might be able to do that.

        Having confidence now as a young teenager can lead you into a good path for the rest of your life. It gives you more opportunities in life, to show people what you can do when you believe in yourself and the work you put in.

-Tess K.