Saturday, November 19, 2011

Challenge 18: Negative

172. Discuss how some negative experience (disability, illness, failure) has had a positive influence on your life.

It was end of my second semester of tenth grade, and the holidays were approaching quickly. With my exams around the corner, I was busy being me: panicking, yet trying to stay calm at the same time. My homeroom teacher announced that soon, those who wanted to stand up for positions as the class representatives would have to give in their names in and give a speech to the whole class. I had been thinking for a long time to stand up for the Class Governor, although I was extremely nervous. I had not stood up for a position since middle school, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to pull myself together. I finally made the decision and prepared, what I though to be, quite a good speech.

The day finally arrived. I arrived early to homeroom and started rehearsing my speech. We had the homeroom outside and the weather was very beautiful. I had worn some bright pink to make myself feel better. Some of my friends wished me luck as they took their places. I looked around to see the places getting filled up and eager faces staring at me. The nervousness got even worse. I had never been a good public speaker, however, I understood how much I need to improve that skill. My homeroom teacher introduced the candidates for the position. There were two other girls standing up for the position as well. I wished them luck, as one after the other, they went up to give their speeches. I thought both of them did really well. When my turn came, I got nervous, but I went in front of the class and showed them what I had prepared. They all listened quietly.

After I was done, I went and sat back down and felt a kind of victory explode inside of me. I did it. And it felt good. From then on, it didn't even matter if I got the position because I had overcome something that felt like an almost impossible task. I waited for the results to come. When I saw that I hadn't gotten the position, I felt bad, but not too bad, because I knew that I had given it my best. The rest wasn't up to me. So, here I am today, a better-skilled person than yesterday.

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