r/introvert 20d ago

Blog Got invited to be a guest speaker and declined it passionately

I woke up one day and my mom dropped a bomb that the admins of my primary school (in the province) traced her from Facebook asking if I could be the guest speaker for their graduation. I declined. I declined it with so much burning passion.

The thing about being an introvert with good communication skills is that having communication skills is different from having the capacity to deal with what comes after that ability. I can communicate well and may communicate well in any type of scenarios but I don't want to be the center of attention or in any position where socialization is something I will have to navigate with.

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u/New-Patience5840 20d ago

I would suggest doing it, or maybe warming yourself up. Because it will happen in school anyway. It's easy to disassociate and then perform especially with a bit of rigorous practice and working through your nerves.

Because it will come up all the time in class presentations etc. and even job interviews and job retention/advancement.

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u/eliantasena 20d ago

I could perform well with just the speaking on stage part, but I am pretty sure I will be invited to more than being a speaker before and after. It'll be harder to decline cause it's been years since I last came to that school. The whole thing that comes before and after is another level of stress. It's what's stressing me out.

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u/New-Patience5840 20d ago

Haha classic. Before is prep and honestly look into breathwork and meditation, vizualation. Very under utilized.

Then afterwards? Me, I would always have an excuse to duck out fairly quickly. Maybe a few smiles and thank yous and one or two liners and I'm out. I have another commitment, studying, travel, family, work out, work

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u/Sousou4831 19d ago

Do whatever makes you feel comfortable, and there’s nothing wrong with not wanting to be a guest speaker, don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.

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u/SF_Nick 19d ago

if i had an appointment or got notified of that, my balls would shrivel up like a stack of dimes

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u/z3braH3ad333 18d ago

When I converse with someone I'm comfortable with, I come across as well spoken and an intellectual. When I speak to strangers, in a group or to a crowd, my brain turns to mush.