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Sharing Time: > Things you're afraid to try

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message 1: by Brittomart (new)

Brittomart If this is an existing thread - I looked, and I couldn't find it!

I'm afraid to try stand up comedy. I'm funny, and I come up with jokes in my head all the time. Say them aloud to the air in my room. I even thought about entering a student stand up competition, but I made the mistake of mentioning it to some friends, and they were all like, "What? Stand up? you? No. You're funny, but you don't have jokes - you're not a comedian." Well, in order to write a good joke, you have to be funny. And not all joke writers know how to deliver, and not all comedians are joke writers. But I think that I just have to go to an open mic and fucking doing it and fuck whatever else you know. Like, seriously, I told one of my closest friends, and the first thing she said was, "Okay! Tell me some jokes!" And I'm like, "Ugghhhh it doesn't work like that." And she's all, "Why not?"

I'm wannabe comedy nerd. It doesn't work like that. But anyway, yeah. So this is about things that you could very well do if you'd like, but something is just holding you back.


message 2: by Hanna (new)

Hanna (hcody) | 3 comments I'm afraid to try being a parent!


message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

i want to learn diving, like the really cool twirls and flips and shit with it. im so afraid, irrationally, that my head will slam in to the floor or something and i'll die or be paralyzed for the rest of my lifes.
its ironic, because as a cheerleader, you're not supposed to be afraid of those kinds of things, but i guess i just broke the mold.


message 4: by Helena (new)

Helena | 1056 comments Public speaking

Jumping out of planes.

Opening my own business.

Leaving my current job for something, not necessarily better, but more satisfying.


message 5: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments i am afraid far more of emotional and relationship things than i am of anything physical


message 6: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments wow, that was transparent.


message 7: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments I'm used to public speaking. It's interesting, however, to find out how many teachers who speak all day in front of children are afraid to speak in front of adults. I guess I'm just used to it.

I'm afraid of a lot, I must admit, but when I think of one that Kevin's not afraid of, for example, it's traveling to third world countries. I don't know I have the stamina or the emotional strength. So Kevin, sir, on that level you're pretty brave. Although I still think you wussed out when you let that kid brush you back with a cricket pitch.


message 8: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments Opening my own business would be scary for me, too.

My kids traveling without me is scary. But they go without me, anyway, so I guess we've tried that:)


message 9: by Helena (new)

Helena | 1056 comments Oh yes- that’s brave. I don’t know if I could travel to a third world country. No, don’t know if I could do that. I know I don’t have the emotional strength for that.

I’m not ready to think about my daughter doing anything without me. That’s scary too.

My intense fear of public speaking has actually hindered my career. If I’m with a group of coworkers that I see all the time, I don’t mind so much- it’s when we have these huge meetings with hundreds of people, I feel like I’m going to be sick!

I’m going to bed now and I’m going to have bad dreams. I know it.


message 10: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca White (rebecca_white) | 1027 comments My mother always taught us to be very modest and not put ourselves forward. Don't show off! I've been working on getting over that for about ten years now, when I realized how it was hindering me from just being myself and doing almost anything that means somebody's eyes are going to be on me. I've gotten past the public speaking problem, pretty much, but there are still other ways I have trouble expressing myself. I have a pretty good voice and I can't sing in public, for instance.

FWIW, she realizes the effect it's had and has apologized. She's a pretty self-confident person and I just don't think she realized how much it would intimidate a child to be brought up that way.


message 11: by Arminius (new)

Arminius Helena wrote: "Public speaking

Jumping out of planes.

Opening my own business.

Leaving my current job for something, not necessarily better, but more satisfying."


Right now I have to give a presentation to over 350 soldiers twice a night. I wasn't scared but I was a little nervous but as the soldier I am replacing says it gets easier and more comfortable with time.

I also read G. Gordon Liddy's autobiography. When he was growing up he was afraid of everything. So he did each thing he was afraid of and that conquered his fear.


message 12: by Aynge (new)

Aynge (ayngemac) | 1202 comments If it's not crazy I'll try it, just to keep my fears in check. People were always telling me I should do stand up, so I took a class and at the end we all had to do 5 minutes of standup at a local club. At first it seemed like I could never do five whole minutes, but one you get writing the most challenging part is paring it down to five minutes. It would have been fun if the "teacher" wasn't a dick, but overall I'm glad I did it.

When I was in junior high I took drama because the worst thing I could think of was getting in front of people and speaking. I knew it was an irrational fear so I decided to tackle it. We staged several plays and all of them were tons of fun.


A lot of things scare me but I always step back and think, What is the worst that can happen?


message 13: by Helena (new)

Helena | 1056 comments Arminius wrote: "Helena wrote: “Public speaking...

Right now I have to gi..."


Terrifying Arminius! 350??

I have to admit that I have recently had to speak at a large gathering, but the subject matter was well known to me, so it wasn’t that bad. I was prepared.


message 14: by Arminius (new)

Arminius Aynge wrote: "A lot of things scare me but I always step back and think, What is the worst that can happen?"

That is the right attitude. The book "The Power of the Subconscious Mind" (since I just read it) may help.

Also, I found out that you can record yourself to your computer in an mp3 format. So you could always record your act and play it back to refine it. You may also be able to e-mail it (although I am not sure) to people to help you with it. I volunteer to listen to your act if that is what you want to do.



message 15: by Arminius (new)

Arminius Helena wrote: "Arminius wrote: "Helena wrote: “Public speaking...

Right now I have to gi..."

Terrifying Arminius! 350??

I have to admit that I have recently had to speak at a large gathering, but the subject ..."


Helena, I just think to myself that if I am bad, so what.


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