6- TIMES WHEN YOU STEPPED OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

I still remember it vividly, like it happened just yesterday.

Back in 2022, I joined an English Oration Competition. The truth was my teacher asked me to. Never in my life had I participated in any competition, let alone a public speaking contest. To make things more challenging, I was only informed a few days before the competition. I had to prepare my speech by myself, but luckily, my teacher helped refine the text, which saved me a lot of time.

I practiced alone in my room with the door locked, watching YouTube videos to learn hand movements and vocal intonation. If I recall correctly, I had less than five days to prepare everything. By the third day, I had memorized every word written on my two-page script. I practiced relentlessly, to the point where my script became worn and tattered. I remember changing my tone and hand gestures more than ten times to get them just right.

Unlike the other contestants, I had no one to back me up.

To make matters worse, two days before the competition, I fell sick with a high fever. I was done for. My head spun like I was on a rollercoaster, and my temperature was so high that I couldn’t even open my eyes, let alone refine my speech. Desperate to recover, I took two Panadol tablets and texted my teacher, apologizing in advance if I couldn’t participate. She reassured me that my health came first and that it was okay if I had to withdraw.

I raised my hands and prayed to Allah for a swift recovery because I truly wanted to compete.

For two days, I remained bedridden. I had almost given up. But on the morning of the competition, I woke up feeling much better. My fever had gone down, leaving me with only a runny nose and slight dizziness. I rushed to my mom’s room to inform her, and after checking on me, she gave me permission to go. Excited, I grabbed my phone and texted my teacher while getting dressed in my school uniform.

When I arrived at school, my teacher drove me and my friend who accompanied me to Maahad Muhammadi Lelaki, the venue for the contest. As I waited for my turn, I prayed to Allah to calm my nerves. Truthfully, I had no expectations. I simply wanted to stand on that stage, in front of hundreds of people, especially men and conquer my fear. That was my goal.

      

While waiting for the results, my friend and I joked around, played mobile games, and just relaxed. I wasn’t expecting anything. But to my surprise, I won third place! It was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I was beyond happy because, after only three days of preparation, I never imagined winning. But truly, Allah is the best planner.

I’m proud of myself for practicing alone and still managing to succeed. The struggles were worth it. However, after reviewing the video my friend recorded, I realized I still had room for improvements, especially in my hand movements, which looked a bit awkward. Additionally, the organizers suggested that all contestants incorporate more Qur’anic verses to make our speeches more impactful.

As an introvert, being on stage was the hardest challenges. In order to overcome my fear, I tried to be confident. Guess what? I did it. Taylor Swift once said in her song, "fake it till you make it." That way, I could gain my confidence effectively.