In the quiet town of Norfolk, lived a boy named Will. He was a timid and reserved elementary school student. He had always found it hard to connect with others, constantly struggling with social anxiety. He always felt like an outsider and found solace in his own company. He preferred the comfort of books and could always be found in the corners of the school library, buried in books that led him to different worlds.

But this didn’t mean that he was not observant of his surroundings. He quietly observed all the kids in his class, playing, laughing and studying together. Deep down, Will wanted to join, he wanted friends, he yearned for companionship, and wanted to escape from his self-imposed solitude, but the fear of rejection and ridicule always held him back.

One day, a poster caught Will’s attention as he was walking through the school hallways. It was about the annual speech contest that would take place the next month. It was an opportunity for the students to showcase their public speaking talent and let their voices be heard.

Will’s heart skipped a beat as he read the words. Public speaking was his worst fear, the mere thought of standing in front of a crowd and delivering a speech, made Will’s heart race, his palms sweaty and his stomach churn. Despite his fears, something sparked within him. He knew participating would be very difficult for him, but a small voice inside him whispered, ‘This could be your chance to step out of your comfort zone.’

Stepping out of one’s comfort zone can lead to tremendous growth and connections which one thinks are not possible

Yes, it was a chance to overcome his social anxiety and make a change in his life. He decided to face his fears and participate in the contest.

Will approached his teacher, Miss Jennifer, and expressed his desire to participate in the competition and also asked for more information about the contest. To his surprise, with a warm smile, Miss Jennifer encouraged him to give it a try. She recognised Will’s potential and believed in his abilities, even if Will didn’t believe in himself yet. She assured Will that she would support him every step of the way.

The following weeks became a transformative journey for Will. He spent countless hours in the library, reading books about public speaking. He wrote and rewrote his speech several times, and practiced every word in front of his reflection in the mirror, rehearsing his speech over and over again.

Miss Jennifer organised after-school sessions, allowing everyone who was participating to practice and that also gave Will a chance to practice speaking in a more comfortable environment. Word of Will’s dedication soon spread throughout the school, grabbing the attention of his classmates as well. To Will’s surprise, a few of his class fellows approached him, appreciated him for his courage and expressed their desire to help him.

Among them were Jacob, an aspiring actor and Max, a popular kid with a knack for storytelling. Jacob realised that Will was scared of public speaking, so he taught him deep breathing techniques and also visualisation. Max structured Will’s speech, including anecdotes and gripping facts. With their support, Will found a new sense of belonging and was happy to be around people who understood his struggles and helped him grow.

The day of the contest arrived, and the school auditorium was filled with excited students, teachers and parents. Will’s anxiety threatened to consume him as he waited for his turn. The moment arrived and Will stepped onto the stage. His legs felt like jelly and his mouth was dry. He took deep breaths, reminding himself of the support he got.

He started speaking, at first, his voice quivered, but as he looked into the crowd, he saw his friends smiling, eagerly waiting for him to continue. Instead of judgemental stares, he saw a sea of happy faces. This was the moment when he felt immense happiness and, suddenly, words flowed with confidence and passion and the audience listened intently.

As Will finished his speech, the auditorium roared with applause. Will had tears in his eyes as he had never felt this before, he felt a sense of accomplishment and was proud of himself. He not only won the contest, but finally conquered his fear.

From that day forward, Will’s life changed. Will spent his time together with his friends playing games, talking about books and studying together. He no longer felt the need to hide away in the library and continued to participate in more school activities, joined clubs and started engaging with his classmates.

Will realised that stepping out of one’s comfort zone could lead to tremen­dous growth and connections which he thought was never possible.

Published in Dawn, Young World, Aug 26th, 2023