Getting out of your Comfort Zone – CLICK TO COMMENT

By Sabrina Abrahim   Have you ever known an answer to a questions in class but was too afraid to raise your hand? This is a common fear among students around the world. And it’s affecting different aspects of life along the way. A shy girl, let’s call her Samantha, wouldn’t dare to raise her hand in class unless she was 120% sure she has an answer. Basically, she almost never raised her hand. There were times when a teacher would ask a question for extra credit to bump up a student’s grade and she still wouldn’t answer out of fear of being wrong. Letting go of some extra credit points to bump up her grade seems okay as long as she could stay in her comfort zone and never be wrong. However, she didn’t realize that she can never always be right, either. Not only does she lose the opportunity of points, she can’t show people her full potential and impress her teacher. After all, she thought it was just high school. Small fears tend to creep into bigger choices in life and cause a person to miss out on great opportunities that can make them stand taller in life. So, how do you overcome fear? Like when a baby gets to an age where they begin to walk, you need to take baby steps. You need to realize that everyone is wrong sometimes and nobody is perfect. Cliché, I know, but so true. Start by answering small questions in class, like review questions, before you get to challenging ones. Speak to a close friend or a teacher to express and acknowledge your fear. Keep in mind that by taking over your fears, it will help with better communication skills that will help in college interviews and job opportunities.

This story was published in the Bar Mitzvah Magazine