Developing a More Outspoken Demeanor

I walked into my first internship as a naïve teenager not knowing how to carry myself in a place where there were so many professionals. I was a shy person who was afraid of starting up conversations and laughing out loud.
I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to observe the working world, yet I did not know what to do in this kind of situation. I was in a foreign place, extremely uncomfortable. People around me were working in offices and cubicles, filing tax returns and having meetings with each other while I was sitting in an office chair starting at a blank computer screen. I was in my own world, completely secluded from the others, and I simply had no idea how to speak to people or even act in this kind of environment; I was out of my element.
When I got my first assignment to copy tax files into an electronic database, I was extremely intimidated. While it was such a simple task, the fear of making a mistake overtook every ounce of confidence that I had walking into this process. Because of my fear of messing up, I meticulously scanned each document, making sure the order of pages were correct and that they were aligned correctly. I went through this process, tirelessly going through what could go wrong in my head. I was afraid of speaking up or asking for help to clarify assignments because I wanted to make a good impression on the people I was working with. I did not utilize the resources around me, which made things seem so much worse.
As the weeks went by, I learned how to conduct myself in a better manner; I walked with more purpose, I completed my tasks more efficiently, and I learned how to speak with more confidence to my superiors. I saw myself growing into a more mature person, even if I was only sixteen at the time.
Working in a place like this taught me to be more outspoken. I was forced to come out of my shell, which allowed me to become someone I never thought I could be: a talkative person who is not afraid voice their opinion. Additionally, I learned how to deal with constructive criticism. As a sensitive person, it was hard for me to hear about my mistakes, but the criticism and advice I received proved to be extremely useful; I just needed to see that there was value in the words that people were saying.
Looking back on my experience, I can definitely say that I have grown into a better version of myself. I was given the opportunity to have a voice in such a large place, and that has affected how I am today. I am able to be more resourceful, efficient, and direct when it comes to professional interactions, and I am able to listen actively to those around me through the interpersonal skills I learned throughout this process.
While I still have a long way to go in terms of finding my career path, this experience put me in the direction towards finding it.
