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Friday, August 5, 2011

THE GIRL WITH THE BEAUTIFUL SMILE

I was scared, but I found a secret weapon to overcome my fear.

For months I had prepared with my piano teacher for this day. I was participating in Achievement in Music, an annual competition that rates music students on all sorts of things—from knowledge of theory to the dynamics in a memorized piece. Finally the day had come and along with it my nervousness.
The scariest part of the competition involved performing pieces for judges. I knew my pieces, but my hands shook as I played.
The dreaded performance was over. I could relax because I just had to give my report on a composer. I found the correct area and waited in a line before two doors. Curiously, I looked in the door on the left. A friendly teacher encouraged students as they nervously entered and became acquainted. She obviously wanted to put them at ease.

Then I looked in the room on the right. There was another piano teacher, an older one, but she had a stern look that made my hands turn cold. The more I saw her interact with the students, the more scared I felt. All I could think was, “I hope I get the first judge.”
I read my report over and over. When I got to the front of the line, I hoped the person on the left would finish first. To my dismay, the student on the right started walking to the door. There was no way I could go in there. Then the thought came to me, “Just put on your biggest smile.”
I walked in with a bounce in my step and the biggest smile I’d ever shown. Like they say, by acting happy, you feel happy. I beamed as I shook the judge’s hand. Then I read my report in a clear voice, pausing now and then to smile at her. At the end of my report, I thanked her for her time. She did not seem scary anymore. As I walked out of the room, I felt relieved and happy.
A few months later I listened as my piano teacher read the comments from the judges. On the last comment she said, “Wow, you really impressed this judge. She wrote, ‘Michelle, the girl with the beautiful smile.’” I didn’t have to ask her who wrote that.
Changing my attitude helped me do my best. Whenever I have something difficult to do, instead of showing myself to be unwilling, I decide to make it fulfilling and enjoyable. I know that my attitude affects my experiences. By persevering with a good attitude, I have learned to enjoy my challenges.

By Michelle Glauser

Thank you for taking your time with me, its great being with you. But reading is not enough. If you really hope to attain a successful life, please keep your mind open, go back and practice persistently the suggestions. Keep at it. The results will come. It will give me great happiness to know that the article has helped you. We may never meet in person, but in this article we have met. We are spiritual friends. I pray for you. God will help you, so believe and live successfully. 

With admiration, 
Robert S. Malugu

P.S: I love comments on this blog. They are as important as anything I write myself. They add to the knowledge and community that we have here. If you want to comment then you are more than welcome; whether you feel you are a beginner or an expert, feel free to have you say. Relevant links in comments are actively encouraged. If you are leaving a comment on my blog and want to point to a link on your own or someone else’s site that is relevant to the topic then please feel free to do so. This adds to the conversation and improves the blog. 



About the Author
Robert Malugu is the founder and editor of Malugu Robert - The Positive Thinking Site. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, at Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn.

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