Experience Helped Me Get out of My Comfort Zone

I used to believe that being an introvert was a bad thing. Especially growing up in a loud and assured family, I always felt like the odd person out.  I would always ask myself, why wouldn’t I step out of my comfort zone as they did? From the looks of things on the outside, they always seemed to be having more fun with the confidence that always existed inside them. My introversion affected both my social life and academic performance. I was always terrified to go to stores around my area, for fear I would see someone I knew. And at the gatherings my parents forced my siblings and me to attend, I would incessantly implore when we could leave because I was never comfortable and didn't want to socialize with other kids at such gatherings.

Quite often, I didn’t have the courage to ask questions in class or for assistance from my teachers even though I desperately needed it. The faculty would always state I was quiet. Since I was constantly told I was too shy and afraid to speak my mind, it worsened my self-esteem even more, which eventually made me to feel upset. Thus you can imagine my horror when during the summer before fifth grade, my parents dropped a bombshell on me; we were moving to Ethiopia. Though the country of my parents’ birth, I had never visited nor did I speak the language. This news would be hard enough for any ten-year-old, but for an introvert like me, the thought of a new school and so many unfamiliar experiences was terrifying.

Surprisingly, this new environment, was exactly what I needed to find peace within myself and a new sense of confidence. In America, I was very sheltered, which subconsciously instilled in me that there was something “out there” to be feared. But in Ethiopia, my parents granted me the independence to run errands to the neighborhood souks (shops) and even to venture to the mall with friends or stay the night at a relative’s house. These experiences helped me come out of my comfort zone and forced me to try new things and learn to overcome challenges on my own. Furthermore, my quietness did not feel foreign in Ethiopia, where speaking in a low voice is a sign of respect and humility and a reserved nature is considered a virtue.

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And yet this new-found confidence not only allowed me to reflect on myself, it also enabled me to come across the new environment I was in, witnessing different cultures. While living in Ethiopia, I've come to realize that most of the young girls may have few opportunities due to certain reasons like culture or traditions, causing them to maintain low self-esteem. Often, it is not because they are forced to do so, but on their own, they have accepted to remain on the sidelines, tackling issues throughout their lives.

Throughout the years of living in Ethiopia, I began to realize that I needed to accept my introversion and, shockingly started to feel much more comfortable and excited in my own skin. I often came out of my shell more and began to speak more than I used to before at places. Not only did I learn and come to notice that speaking your mind without fear and socializing is very important, but I learned that introverts have so much more to offer and that it's great way in growing and finding natural confidence to carry on with you as live in this world.

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