My boxing lessons have helped a lot with my shyness, I feel more open to the world now.

Everyone has different emotions that build up inside but you need to let them out.

People out there have shyness that can affect their life if they won’t overcome it. It can keep them from doing different events, taking important risks, and even talking to people in the community. Since these kind of people stay quiet and don’t interact well with their current surroundings, they can become antisocial. This can also result in friends who don’t know how to interact, I have experience. It can be a painful experience, especially if they are put on the spot, and don’t know the answer. What others consider embarrassing, is ten times worse for a shy person. It is not the worst to come out of that shell and become more open to the world.

My sixth grade year was hard since I was a shy person and most people couldn’t even understand the issue. I was an introvert and I was scared to talk to anyone, even my closest friends could get why. Teachers in those years also told me that I need to speak up more and not be so shy and that was hard for me. When I tried to do this, they started talking to me about how to help because I was having a difficult time. I tried harder, but I liked the fact that I was quiet and by myself with my own thoughts, then I’m in my comfort zone. I ignored the fact that I was shy, I let it pass as who I am, but as the year got closer to the end I realized that I needed a change before the next year. In my classes I got average grades on my tests and work, but my teachers noticed something. They noticed that I was getting the information, and they questioned why I don't raise my hand.

I then moved on to seventh grade with my shyness following me there, and that year was tough. I raised my hand more in my seventh grade year to answer questions but I still had an insecure feeling inside of me. Later my friends were giggling and were very excited about something, and I wanted to figure out what is was. I had asked them and they told me that it was secret. This made me feel insecure, as if I wasn’t enough to know what it was. Later that month, the teacher who set up the little “secret” asked me if I wanted to be in on it. She told me that it was a boxing session that helped girls with self confidence. I agreed, knowing it might help me defend myself or even make me feel confident, the way it was intended. After the first “”lesson” of boxing I felt positive about myself, and I had a feeling I had embraced myself. Later in the year teachers have given me comments saying how I have become more open to answering questions, to interacting with the class. Just from going to boxing I felt more open and I felt as if I could talk to anyone.

There was a gigantic difference from sixth grade to eighth grade, and teachers had even told me. I had gone from an introvert to an extrovert from just a few boxing trips. I did not ever want to raise my hand in sixth grade to answer simple things, now I can raise my hand and answer the question when I know the answer. Classmates had even noticed that I have changed. When I talk to them they almost seem shocked to hear me speak more than I usually would. This makes me feel happy to, I had grown as a person and I am not afraid to talk to people anymore. I have been able to give opinions and answer questions and such. I used to be scared to talk to cashiers, when I go to my friend’s houses I was too scared to ask for things I wanted ,water for example. I can do all of those tasks without a worry.

I have seen a ton of improvement in myself ever since that first boxing session. The boxing had helped me feel stronger on the inside and outside, from the workout and punching the bags. While I was there it made me feel strong and the reason is I was punching the punching bags and made me feel unstoppable. When I arrived back to school the next day,  I had “power” left in me which made me feel strong in school. If I could punch and do an intense workout I could talk to people without being shy. With the boxing instructor telling me how I was doing it made me feel stronger and better about myself. My friends were there every step of the way, helping me and doing the actual workout. This is how I became more of an extrovert.