"There is nothing more empowering than facing down a fear."
Exactly. That's why I often make a point of seeking out things that I fear, though lately the supply has been running low
There's plenty of room for improvement yet, it's just that fear doesn't seem to be such a limiting factor. Rather than running from fear, I'm apt to use it as a guide, pointing out areas that would benefit from my attention.
A couple weeks ago I did a brief piano solo for a class of about 100 people, just for the challenge of it, as I'd never done a solo before, and I'd barely played piano, just xylophone/marimba. Afterward I led a few other people in song (I'm more used to singing with dozens of people, where I'm not the one in the spotlight), and the class roared with applause. Then this past Sunday several friends and I had our first improv comedy performance.
In my mid teens I'd given speeches at conferences to hundreds of people about spiritual experiences I was having at the time, but I generally knew about what I was going to say going in, just as when I later gave a speech per week in Toastmasters. Improv is a good chance to think on your feet and work on channeling your creativity on a moment's notice.