“I Did It” Promotes Self-Pride

It’s not so much how we do something but that we do it.   The group of students (5^th and 6^th graders) who attended the public speaking parent/child workshop brought this idea to life.   For the past three sessions, each child got up to give a short talk in front of the group.

We all know speaking in front of a group is nerve-wracking for most of us, how much more so for kids. They proved to themselves that they CAN DO IT.  And that is huge.  Scared, nervous and all, they pushed through their fear.   With good posture, a smile on their face and at least some eye contact, they gave their little talks, from a heartfelt topic of something they love (session 1 and 2) to a piece of good current events news they heard or read about.

Even the student who basically froze up there the first time, pushed herself to get back up before the night was over.

Perseverance is the name of the game.   That’s where self-esteem and pride come from.   It’s not in the outcome but rather in the effort and bravery to step up to the plate and do something that is out of one’s comfort zone.

The kids also saw their parents in a different light, as people who were also nervous and got up there anyway.

The only way we can begin to maximize our potential is by tackling more difficult challenges and seeing that it is possible.  With practice we can improve and maybe even like it.  We’ve then opened ourselves up to new experiences and opportunities.   We begin to taste the idea that there’s a whole world out there with limitless possibilities to engage in and learn from.  This breeds an excitement towards living a curious and rich life.

That’s what this was about – empowering people, kids and adults alike, that we can go beyond our fears and do it.   And if we feel a wee bit better about how we did from one session to the next, then the lessons of practice and taking small steps yields those good feelings of improvement.   And even if we don’t feel like we improved or don’t like the activity, we can still pat ourselves on the back for DOING IT!  We can carry this I DID It into the next hard challenge.

 

To have a child who was very anxious about speaking out, ask his mom upon leaving, when it was going to be held again, is a testament to his self-pride and satisfaction that he did it!   Bravo to all the kids, and parents!

 

Comments are always welcome, as is sharing.  Thanks for coming by.