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Essay by: Jadyn Novak

Roseau Community School

Mrs. Didrikson, Advanced English 11

I believe fear is the single greatest obstacle in life. We like to give ourselves so many excuses as to why we can't do something and blame it on others, but in the end, the biggest thing holding us back is simply fear. Fear of judgment. Fear of being alone. Fear of change. Fear of pain. There are many other types of fear that contribute, but the ones listed above are major reasons for us to hold ourselves back.

As I grow older, I believe these fears are both getting stronger and weaker. When I was younger, I didn't have friends. And when I did get friends, I wasn't as close to the friend group as I wanted to be. But fear of being vulnerable stopped me. I didn't want to get hurt, so I closed myself up for the most part. While I was protecting myself from the pain of getting hurt by someone I trust, I was really hurting myself in the long run.

For the future, I have plans of trying to push myself. I want to put myself out there and in uncomfortable situations where I can grow. Nothing that's completely uncomfortable, but something that's harmless, like going to a hangout with friends. Or traveling by myself. Really, I want to heal the relationship I have with myself. I want to learn to really love and accept myself while recognizing that I can still change. My emotions don't define me, nor do my mistakes. 

I also want to gain knowledge. I'm someone who loves new experiences and information, so I want to soak it up as much as I can. That's part of the reason I want to travel the world. When you learn about different cultures and ways of life, you gain a certain sort of empathy and perspective that I feel is priceless. Thankfully, the Internet helps get this information across quite

quickly. 

Growth is really what I'm after in this life. I want to make the most out of it and be grateful for the body I have. Really, it's miraculous that the universe has given us so many things, like the bodies and minds we have to the opportunities presented. Why not live life to the fullest and not let fear stop you? What's stopping you from doing the things you love? Those are the real questions we need to ask ourselves. 

I give my future four and a half stars.