Do you realize how much fear holds you back? Fear is a part of the ego and it contributes to stress and worry, all of which hold you back from taking chances. It took me 30 years to find my birth mother and once I finally did, it took me three whole days to call her for that first time. What held me back? You guessed it – FEAR. I was scared of the unknown, which isn’t unusual for most people but it was keeping me from connecting to a person I had dreamt about nearly my whole life! I was scared that she wouldn’t like me, or that she wouldn’t be interested in me, or that she might be mean. These fears kept me from calling her until I finally decided that I had already opened the can of worms so I might as well see what happened. If something bad happened, I would deal with it then. Lo and behold, it was a great decision and I got to know a beautiful and amazing woman which led to all kinds of great things happening in our lives! To think that my fear could have prevented the relationship I have with her now shows me that fear inhibits us in the worst way. I’m not talking about fear when you’re in a dangerous situation. That is a natural reaction which actually gives you the fight or flight adrenaline rush you need in those situations. I’m talking about the fear of what COULD happen, not what IS happening. You can overcome that fear but it takes discipline and an intense desire for the outcome you’re looking for. I moved away from my whole family in Arkansas to Florida with a baby and a rocky relationship with her father. As you can imagine, I was scared; however, I loved Florida and wanted to live in that environment. I also knew that there was more opportunities for me and my daughter there. I knew there would be challenges but I knew that I could always move back home if it was too tough. I just took it one day at a time and now I’ve been here 12 years and have had many successes, as well as my daughter. Again, my fear could’ve kept me from living this fulfilling life. I’ve taken chances in my life, and they haven’t all turned out good but I know how to pick myself up, re-group, and move forward with my lessons learned. Don’t ever be scared to learn because knowledge squashes fear of the unknown and you will be more powerful than you ever thought possible.