"May I help you?"

I came to realize that I didn't want to be shy anymore and wanted to become more assertive but I didn't know how to accomplish it. Instead of formulating a plan I simply began doing things that would force me out of my comfort zone. Life is a process and my approach was quite the learning experience.

I began trying new things on my own. I started small, things like talking more in class or becoming more vocal when making plans. So often in the past I would simply sit back quietly and watch things unfold around me. I was merely a spectator in my classes, with my friends, in my life. These "small" battles served as enormous steps for me as well as huge motivating tools. I realized that so many of the things that had been roadblocks in the past were simply self-imposed. I knew I had to do things even harder, I knew I had to do things even further outside my comfort zone.

Although I had become more and more comfortable around the people I already knew, I understood that I had to overcome an even bigger fear... I had to become comfortable around strangers. This came with quite the learning curve. A failure truly isn't a failure if you learn from them and boy did I learn quite often. For every success there were ten failed chances. For every random "hi" I quietly mustered, there were a thousand missed opportunities and a thousand excuses to go along with them. You can always find an excuse not do do something right?

Once again I had to take a plunge. Realizing I needed a sense of accountability in order to decrease my excuse making, I joined the big scary world of retail selling. This made it my job to approach strangers. With my boss looming over my head, I was forced to come out of my shell a little. Having frequented the place for years, it was still a pretty safe step, but a particularly important one as well.

Each step in our lives in a positive direction is as important step. No step is too small and no step should be discounted. Life is a process...