I was fortunate enough to hear a high school student speak earlier this week, and her message has really stuck with me. She talked about how the loss of her life-embracing (and sometimes risk-embracing) mother at a young age shook her from a life of caution into a life of stepping into her fear.

She shared that she’s terrified of public speaking, yet there she was, on stage, in the bright lights, looking out into a full auditorium of her entire high school student body plus faculty & staff.

She told her fellow students to acknowledge fear. There will always be fear. But rather than ignoring it or pretending you aren’t scared, own it & step into it. Embrace the fear and choose to live life anyway.

There are moments on the other side of our fearful experiences (or sometimes in the midst of them) that bring energy, beauty & wisdom into our lives, and we would be duller for not having had that experience.

What is fear holding you back from experiencing? Are you ready to step into it & live life anyway?