One of my worst fears.

I've decided I love public speaking. This is huge, because making a speech or giving an oral presentation to a room full of people has really been one of the greatest causes of stress in my life for years.

And trust me, I get it bad. Sweaty palms, shaky knees, dizziness, the works. What's made it even worse is that in the past when I've begun a speech, I've lost control of what comes out of my mouth. Really, I can barely remember what I've said once it's thankfully over.

So, you may be asking why I begun this post with such a contradictory statement. Well, so far in CreComm, I can't even count the number of times an assignment has called for me, alone or as part of a group, to be up in-front of a group of people to give a presentation. (each time being as nervous as ever)

But this past Thursday, we put on a mock news conference. I was a key speaker. I was in our school television studio with a spotlight, numerous eyes, and about seven cameras pointed directly at me. Nervous? Yes. Loved it? Also yes.

I guess the cliche, "practice makes perfect" carries a lot of weight. I thought my fear of public speaking was something I'd have forever. But now because of practice and an opportunity to really put that fear to the test, I feel not only prepared but excited.

Even though I'm pretty sure the next time I speak to an audience I'll have that familiar butterflies-in-my-tummy feeling, I'll also have a readiness I simply didn't have before. Bring it on.