Learning to be me one scene at a time

When I was a freshman in high school I signed up for Drama class. Although, I was the toddler waving from the stage during my first ballet performance; in the intervening years I had grown into a shy reserved person. I decided to sign up for the Drama class because my cool older cousin was in the class. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
As myself I was terrified to speak in front of others. On the stage I had the opportunity to become someone else who was not afraid. This was life changing. I realized over the years that not only could I play other people and feel safe, but I could play better more confident versions of myself. When confronted with a situation which terrified me I asked myself how my ideal self would act in this situation. I would create a character of my ideal self and I would play it. Eventually, I would get to the point where I became the better version of myself. This approach has allowed me to achieve and experience many things that would have been impossible without it. I am so thankful for my drama class and my cool cousin who made me want to sign up.