If you have been reading my Giving Tuesday Student stories you have heard mention of the concept of getting uncomfortable to get comfortable. What exactly does that mean? This is a message we express in all of the programs we deliver. When you are learning something new it can feel quite uncomfortable. Once you push yourself beyond your comfort zone or the boundaries of what you already know it can take on a feeling of awkwardness and make you want to run in the other direction. But pushing yourself to let go of that sense or feeling allows you to open yourself to new knowledge. As you stretch into new territory whether it be learning a new skill, starting a new job, or reinventing yourself into an entirely new career your brain has to adjust to the new emotions that come along with it.
For many the emotions will be so overwhelming that they will run back to what they know. The fear or sense of uncomfortableness will pass as you take the time to think about your emotions. If you can recognize that your state of mind is simply that "a state of mind" and that you can change your thinking, then you can move forward.
This is an import competency to learn especially for young adults. If they can grasp this control over their emotions they will be better prepared to work through difficult times in their lives. Think about the young women who take on a career paths in STEAM and what they will likely face as they pursuecareers dominated by mostly men. Having this competency will provide a foundation for the coping skills necessary to work through those challenging moments.
What follows is a story from a young woman who overcomes her fear and the realization of what she is truly capable of. In it she shares her story of getting uncomfortable to get comfortable and how our program provided her the right scenario to stretch herself to develop through the support of WCTD.
In our programs we teach students how to leverage Mind Mapping. It is a fun way to introduce themselves to each other and to get more comfortable with their team members.
I remember the first time I was asked to speak in front of the class. I was in middle school and I couldn’t get a word out of my mouth. I was really scared. Ever since that day, I’ve never been able to speak in front of people. I didn’t realize that public speaking it was a skill I needed to learn and I had to overcome that fear.
At WCTD, one day we were asked to speak about something that interests us. We had to stand up in front of our group member which only had five or six people. I didn’t have the courage to stand up and speak so I told my group leader that I couldn’t do it. She told me to get up there and do the best I can. She also told me to concentrate on taking a few, slow breaths and to repeat this a few times. I did as she told me and I was able to get up and talk about music without being scared. I will never forget how that moment changed my life because she helped me overcome my fear and taught me a lesson.
I hope you enjoyed hearing how our organization is impacting students and will support our efforts to do more. Keep watching as we continue to share how We Connect The Dots is creating positive outcomes for students around the world.
Visit our donation page - http://tinyurl.com/CreatingSTEAM
Giving Tuesday is December 1st we hope you will help us reach our goal.