New to the world of professionalism, you listen to words that sound foreign to you but you know they’re still “English” terminology. Trying to understand what the words mean by the context of the conversation seems a bit confusing; you are lost in the words of translation but you don’t dare to ask. The feeling of embarrassment flushes across your face while you try to keep your composure. This anxiety of not knowing can impact your self-esteem. You tend to question your own intelligence and capabilities to progress in a world so politically correct. You have to acknowledge that this is in fact, a different world. Not one that you are accustomed to. Still, this is the world you find very intriguing.
Try not to make it obvious that you don’t understand their vocabulary but continue on with the conversation. Look them straight in the eye, without signs of nervousness. Since you don’t have any pen or paper, make a mental note of the words you didn’t understand. Your lack of confidence will start to show if you don’t keep your posture and if words stumble out of your mouth. If at any point, you can’t find the words to express yourself, excuse yourself politely to avoid any mishaps. Don’t worry, everyone has gone through this at least once in his or her life. Many individuals have years of experience expressing themselves to others but that doesn’t make them superior. They themselves started without knowing as much as they do now. It takes years of practice to be as good as you see them, presently. You just need to learn how to keep your cool and speak about what you do know.
It never hurts to give yourself a little self-motivation in life. Start telling yourself that you are an intellectual individual beginning to blossom in a world of bees. These bees will try to gently insert their stinger inside of you to suck all the pollen you have to give to the world. This isn’t a bad thing but it is a natural course of life. As they attack, stand your ground and show no signs of insecurity or vulnerability. The more confident you are, the more positive results you will see in return. This is just a growing process everyone has to face. You will learn how to speak with confidence and it will go a long way.
Words By: Janell Borrero-Peña
Image By: Tamas Olajos (overtoner.com)
