fear

I am a firm believer that you should never let fear hold you back from doing anything. When I was in scouts, we would do crazy things (repelling, scuba diving, white water rafting, you name it) but I never let my fear get in the way of doing those things. For me, the experience always outweighed the fearfulness I felt before.

But fear is more than that nervous/anxious feeling though; it has so many faces:

It's giving a speech in front of your class when you don't like being the center of attention.

It's embarking on a new stage in your life.

It's being home alone during a thunderstorm and obsessing over a scary movie.

It's hearing horrible news about someone you love and knowing there is nothing you can do to help.

I am fearful. I may put on a brave face but inside I am being eaten away by fear. I always think, why do I let my fear overcome me like this? I feel so helpless in that moment but then I realize: I have the strength to get through this. I can't be brave all the time but I have the perseverance to keep fighting.

Sometimes I need to be reminded that I am stronger than I think I am, that I will make it through whatever fear I am battling. I can, we can, you can get through this.