Rise to the Occasion
What does it mean to rise to the occasion?
To be pushed to one's limit and overcome barriers previously thought to be insurmountable is a feat of remarkable courage and resilience. These moments define us, shape our character, and give meaning to our existence.
I believe I perform well under high pressure, or at least I'd like to tell myself so. I tell myself this as it's in these moments that I've experienced the most growth as a person. While im performing in these do-or-die situations, I encounter the greatest sense of happiness and tranquillity. They are the moments in which I enter a flow state, where time stands still and yet rushes past in a blur.
I experienced one of these occasions this week, in which I had to deliver my first lecture to around one hundred second-year design students. My lecture was based on the art of facilitation and the techniques we can employ to facilitate workshops better, but more holistically, become better speakers, presenters, and build greater confidence when leading groups of people towards a goal. More broadly, the lecture was about how we can develop this sense of confidence by cultivating our own inner self-love. It's ironic that I was blessed enough to give a lecture on facilitation, soft skills, and speaking when I myself have struggled with public speaking for most of my life. It's only been over the past few years through which I've been able to build up the confidence to talk to large groups of people. However, specific practice in that area did not precipitate my improvement in presenting and articulating confidently. My ability to present has developed more organically through dealing with past insecurities, past trauma and navigating a journey of cultivating inner self-love. It is this inner self-love and sense of security that enables me to speak with confidence. In my view, it is essential to confront and heal from the negative experiences of our past before we can actualize our true potential. These experiences can manifest as negative thought patterns that may hold us back for a lifetime if left unchecked. Only by accepting our past can we move forward with purpose and confidence.
The journey I've taken within these past few years has allowed me to deal with my experiences, feel them, and acknowledge them as part of my story. Only once we accept our past will we be able to move forward and not let it affect our future.
How will you rise to the occasion?
Will you summon the courage and determination to overcome the obstacles before you? Will you confront your past and emerge stronger for it?
These are the moments that will define you.
