I have doubts about myself, that I'm aiming higher than my capabilities.

(Original post by Anonymous)
I'm studying for a physiotherapy degree and am on a placement. My mentor/assessor says that I'm comming across as nervous in front of patients. She said she's asked the patients what they think of me and most have said that I'm friendly, listen well but that I look nervous. She wanted me to talk louder and ive corrected this she says my verbal communication is now good but it's just my non verbal communication I look nervous etc. I've always been like this though I'm not very chatty, quiet and very much an introvert anyway. Most of the times I don't feel nervous at all yet people say I am, she's marked me down because of it. I qualified as a mental health nurse several years ago so have worked with mental health patients for years none of the staff or patients told me that I look nervous, a few mentors said that I need to acknowledge my natural interpersonal skills.

The thing is it's just how I am. I don't have close friends because I kind of keep to myself. I remember as a kid people used to say I looked like I'd seen a ghost and stuff like that. If I've qualified as a mental health nurse (where patients can be very verbally abusive) and have had jobs in mental health for the past 5 years and still look nervous I'm not sure if it's something I can change... I guess I went into physiotherapy firstly as I've always wanted to but couldn't get on before and secondly in all honesty I didn't feel I could cope with the pressure of working with mental health patients I wasn't assertive enough, a staff member (nurse assistant) in mental health said that she could t imagine me running a ward as I'm so quiet. I just wanted advice. Part of me feels I'm not cut out for being a professional. I'm 2 years into this degree though. I'm not young either, older than most on here. Ive been in education long enough so don't want to change career again but at the same I want to make something of myself.