"I was bullied and couldn't speak..."

I was always known to be a sensitive child. Being creative and a day dreamer had its perks, but the downside was I struggled to engage with reality, especially when faced with struggles. 

School was a horrendous time for me. I was bullied throughout education and as a teenager was not confident enough to speak to those I didn't know. 

I couldn't get on a bus, talk to a cashier. I would reguarly panic and cry in certain social situations. 

When turning 16 this became more of an issue as I entered the world of work. But with support from family I managed to overcome my fears in talking to new people, yet still remained unconfident and shy. 

I always loved to sing and play music. I began learning piano at the age of 9 and started playing in my church worship band. Through gentle encouragement I used my voice more and more, and with a few key people who cheered me on I started having vocal lessons. 

At first I hated it! To sing in front of someone in a small room, with them analysing my voice was not an experience I cherished. I told them I would quit every other week, but they kept on pursuing me, patiently letting me work through my anxieties. I found that some of the exercises helped me control my breathing, giving me a sense of calm in the midst of my nerves. The more encouragement I got, the more I began stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new songs with the techniques I was learning. I started to understand my voice, how it works, how to control it, which enabled more confident performances.