Almost two years ago, I was asked if I would like to be Vice Chair for ICEL. I thought about it, asked a few questions, and decided it didn’t sound too scary… so I said yes.

Fast forward to when I found out what that actually meant.

Apparently, Vice Chair means that the next year you become THE CHAIR. Wait… what?

That realization was slightly terrifying because speaking in front of people is not exactly my strong suit. I’m extremely shy when it comes to public speaking. All the things happen, my mind goes blank, I forget what I planned to say, and most embarrassingly, I start to stutter and stumble over my words.

Thank goodness someone prints my announcements out for me… because without that paper I’d probably just stand there blinking at everyone. And even with the paper, I still manage to stutter through parts of it.

Then I found out I would also have to write articles. WHAT?!

I am not a writer. I haven’t written an article since high school… which was many, many years ago. Let’s just say it’s been a while.

But you know what I did?

I put on my “confidence pants” and told myself that I could do uncomfortable things—even things that are way outside my comfort zone.

Why?

Because there is honestly no better place to push yourself than within a NACM group. Why? Because my people are there.

These are the people who guide and encourage you. The people who cheer you on when you try something new. The people who will absolutely support you—even if you just stuttered your way through a very simple announcement.

They see past the awkward moments. They encourage you anyway.

They make your day better with a smile, a hug, or a few kind words.

And they stand right beside you in the thick of this profession we call credit, doing the work and loving what they do.

Mostly, these are my people, and I’m really grateful I found them.

I’m also really glad I said yes when I was asked to be Vice Chair. That one decision helped me become a stronger, braver version of myself. The person I am today is not the same person I was two years ago.

So if anyone reading this struggles with the same social fears I had, I want to challenge you to try something that pushes you out of your comfort zone.

It might feel awkward. It might feel scary. You might even stutter through a few announcements along the way.

But I promise—you’ll grow from it.

And if you’re lucky enough to be surrounded by people like mine while you, do it, that’s just a really big bonus.