For those of you who know me quite well, you may be surprised to learn that I’m really quite a shy person – particularly when it comes to meeting new people. It’s something I feel quite uncomfortable doing.
This was brought home to me again this past week. I’d promised to collect funds for the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal and it wasn’t until I put on the badge and headed out the door that my heart started beating rapidly, my mouth became quite dry, and I felt a slight twinge of nervousness.
I feel quite silly thinking about it now, particularly as I am regularly speaking in front of crowds and I run my own Internet radio show that broadcasts across the globe to tens of thousands of listeners – and here I was nervous at the thought of having to speak to a few people that lived in my own street – for goodness sake. Thankfully it didn’t take me very long, and it was rewarding to know that I raised money for a wonderful organisation.
Here are some of the things that helped me complete the exercise without giving in to my fear:
1. I had made a promise to someone (Salvation Army) and I didn’t want to let them down. What a great motivator that was!
2. I kept the ‘end’ in mind each time I knocked on the door, knowing that this was bringing me one step closer to my end goal.
3. I changed the [negative] language in my head to positive talk, which enabled me to introduce myself with confidence and continue to explain why I was there.
It’s amazing what you can do, when you put your mind to it, isn’t it?
Wishing you a rich and inspiring week! Till next time …
