this year I was given an incredible opportunity to attend a fly-in for
opportunity to attend a fly-in for
opportunity to attend a fly-in for college of Boston not only was it my
college of Boston not only was it my
college of Boston not only was it my first time in Boston it was my first
first time in Boston it was my first
first time in Boston it was my first time on a plane by myself I brought up
time on a plane by myself I brought up
time on a plane by myself I brought up very close to my family we’ve done
very close to my family we’ve done
very close to my family we’ve done almost everything together but this was
almost everything together but this was
almost everything together but this was the first time I would be doing
the first time I would be doing
the first time I would be doing something on my own and it was
something on my own and it was
something on my own and it was terrifying so many things were gone that
terrifying so many things were gone that
terrifying so many things were gone that day I went left when I was supposed to
day I went left when I was supposed to
day I went left when I was supposed to go right which sent it back so much that
go right which sent it back so much that
go right which sent it back so much that I was literally running to my date my
I was literally running to my date my
I was literally running to my date my date I have asthma
date I have asthma
date I have asthma so I was wheezing the entire winter only
so I was wheezing the entire winter only
so I was wheezing the entire winter only to make it just in time to see the doors
to make it just in time to see the doors
to make it just in time to see the doors close in my face it was awful when I
close in my face it was awful when I
close in my face it was awful when I made it back the lady at the desk
made it back the lady at the desk
made it back the lady at the desk actually a very important question she
actually a very important question she
actually a very important question she said would you like me to book you a
said would you like me to book you a
said would you like me to book you a ticket for our next flight up to Boston
ticket for our next flight up to Boston
ticket for our next flight up to Boston mind you based on my previous experience
mind you based on my previous experience
mind you based on my previous experience as to what just happened to me
as to what just happened to me
as to what just happened to me my what I wanted to do was say no grab
my what I wanted to do was say no grab
my what I wanted to do was say no grab my bags brought my parents and go home
my bags brought my parents and go home
my bags brought my parents and go home but I didn’t I said yes and that changes
but I didn’t I said yes and that changes
but I didn’t I said yes and that changes everything I remember making my way back
everything I remember making my way back
everything I remember making my way back to my parents and thinking that I’d
to my parents and thinking that I’d
to my parents and thinking that I’d somehow disappointed them because I
somehow disappointed them because I
somehow disappointed them because I couldn’t do it on my own
couldn’t do it on my own
couldn’t do it on my own I even managed to get lost on my way
I even managed to get lost on my way
I even managed to get lost on my way back and wound up in the airport food
back and wound up in the airport food
back and wound up in the airport food court by then I was done I was so I was
court by then I was done I was so I was
court by then I was done I was so I was so set with myself that I broke down
so set with myself that I broke down
so set with myself that I broke down crying in the food court everyone was
crying in the food court everyone was
crying in the food court everyone was staring at me but I couldn’t stop my
staring at me but I couldn’t stop my
staring at me but I couldn’t stop my tears
tears
tears it was incredibly embarrassing even a
it was incredibly embarrassing even a
it was incredibly embarrassing even a little boy stop inserting I just looked
little boy stop inserting I just looked
little boy stop inserting I just looked at him with tear filled eyes that
at him with tear filled eyes that
at him with tear filled eyes that screamed don’t judge
that day I face a lot of my fears my
that day I face a lot of my fears my fear of doing something on my own might
fear of doing something on my own might
fear of doing something on my own might be of disappointing those I care about
be of disappointing those I care about
be of disappointing those I care about my favorite disappointing myself and
my favorite disappointing myself and
my favorite disappointing myself and most importantly my fear BS before this
most importantly my fear BS before this
most importantly my fear BS before this year probably the most terrifying word
year probably the most terrifying word
year probably the most terrifying word in the English language in my opinion
in the English language in my opinion
in the English language in my opinion was yes yes made me vulnerable
was yes yes made me vulnerable
was yes yes made me vulnerable yes made me susceptible to rejection
yes made me susceptible to rejection
yes made me susceptible to rejection embarrassment failure and disappointment
embarrassment failure and disappointment
embarrassment failure and disappointment which were four fears I’ve tried to
which were four fears I’ve tried to
which were four fears I’ve tried to shield myself from for 18 years but this
shield myself from for 18 years but this
shield myself from for 18 years but this year I decided to change the narrative
year I decided to change the narrative
year I decided to change the narrative and face my fear he is merely merely
and face my fear he is merely merely
and face my fear he is merely merely taking on the challenge itself was
taking on the challenge itself was
taking on the challenge itself was terrifying but in a study conducted by
terrifying but in a study conducted by
terrifying but in a study conducted by the Northwestern University Feinberg
the Northwestern University Feinberg
the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine they took adult or
School of Medicine they took adult or
School of Medicine they took adult or terrified of spiders and made them touch
terrified of spiders and made them touch
terrified of spiders and made them touch tarantulas mind you prior to the study
tarantulas mind you prior to the study
tarantulas mind you prior to the study these adults were so terrified that they
these adults were so terrified that they
these adults were so terrified that they wouldn’t even walk on grass in fear of
wouldn’t even walk on grass in fear of
wouldn’t even walk on grass in fear of encountering life after this exercise
encountering life after this exercise
encountering life after this exercise not only were they able to touch
not only were they able to touch
not only were they able to touch tarantulas but six months later these
tarantulas but six months later these
tarantulas but six months later these same adults were still able to touch
same adults were still able to touch
same adults were still able to touch them
them
them this exposure therapy dampened the
this exposure therapy dampened the
this exposure therapy dampened the responsiveness of the parts of the brain
responsiveness of the parts of the brain
responsiveness of the parts of the brain and so associated with fear response
and so associated with fear response
and so associated with fear response this proved that the only way to
this proved that the only way to
this proved that the only way to overcome my fear was to face it head-on
overcome my fear was to face it head-on
overcome my fear was to face it head-on and that’s exactly what I decided to do
and that’s exactly what I decided to do
and that’s exactly what I decided to do but I could invert this journey without
but I could invert this journey without
but I could invert this journey without looking for some inspiration along the
looking for some inspiration along the
looking for some inspiration along the way and along the way I found Michelle
way and along the way I found Michelle
way and along the way I found Michelle Hoya Michelle took quad the ultimate
Hoya Michelle took quad the ultimate
Hoya Michelle took quad the ultimate challenge and faced a hundred fears in a
challenge and faced a hundred fears in a
challenge and faced a hundred fears in a hundred days to find out how Michelle
hundred days to find out how Michelle
hundred days to find out how Michelle managed to take on this immense task I
managed to take on this immense task I
managed to take on this immense task I decided to contact her and to my
decided to contact her and to my
decided to contact her and to my surprise she answered me back with some
surprise she answered me back with some
surprise she answered me back with some incredible words of wisdom she told me
incredible words of wisdom she told me
incredible words of wisdom she told me rather than asking myself what was the
rather than asking myself what was the
rather than asking myself what was the worst thing that
worst thing that
worst thing that happen to ask myself what was the best
happen to ask myself what was the best
happen to ask myself what was the best that can happen and try to see
that can happen and try to see
that can happen and try to see opportunity behind every fear and that
opportunity behind every fear and that
opportunity behind every fear and that was what my big idea was born for an
was what my big idea was born for an
was what my big idea was born for an entire year I was going to say yes to
entire year I was going to say yes to
entire year I was going to say yes to every single opportunity presented to me
every single opportunity presented to me
every single opportunity presented to me and use this same exposure therapy to
and use this same exposure therapy to
and use this same exposure therapy to help me overcome my fear gifts in doing
help me overcome my fear gifts in doing
help me overcome my fear gifts in doing so I’ve opened myself up to a whole new
so I’ve opened myself up to a whole new
so I’ve opened myself up to a whole new world of possibilities I never happened
world of possibilities I never happened
world of possibilities I never happened if it weren’t for saying yes to becoming
if it weren’t for saying yes to becoming
if it weren’t for saying yes to becoming a UIL coach I would have never realized
a UIL coach I would have never realized
a UIL coach I would have never realized how much passion and joy it brings me to
how much passion and joy it brings me to
how much passion and joy it brings me to teach students and to watch the succeed
teach students and to watch the succeed
teach students and to watch the succeed if it weren’t for this I would have
if it weren’t for this I would have
if it weren’t for this I would have never known that I wanted to become a
never known that I wanted to become a
never known that I wanted to become a teacher if it weren’t for me saying yes
teacher if it weren’t for me saying yes
teacher if it weren’t for me saying yes to impromptu singing for my mom and a
to impromptu singing for my mom and a
to impromptu singing for my mom and a group of her friends I would have never
group of her friends I would have never
group of her friends I would have never gotten the opportunity to sing at a
gotten the opportunity to sing at a
gotten the opportunity to sing at a families friend a family friend’s
families friend a family friend’s
families friend a family friend’s wedding this coming June before this
wedding this coming June before this
wedding this coming June before this year I was led by fear I miss out on so
year I was led by fear I miss out on so
year I was led by fear I miss out on so many opportunities because I was afraid
many opportunities because I was afraid
many opportunities because I was afraid to try I led with no as it means in
to try I led with no as it means in
to try I led with no as it means in protecting myself from something bad
protecting myself from something bad
protecting myself from something bad happening but what I learned was not
happening but what I learned was not
happening but what I learned was not only did I shield myself from something
only did I shield myself from something
only did I shield myself from something bad happening I
bad happening I
bad happening I I also shielded myself from the
I also shielded myself from the
I also shielded myself from the potential of something amazing happened
potential of something amazing happened
potential of something amazing happened a wise philosopher by the name of Winnie
a wise philosopher by the name of Winnie
a wise philosopher by the name of Winnie the Pooh 170 we only regret the chance
the Pooh 170 we only regret the chance
the Pooh 170 we only regret the chance you didn’t take so I challenge you to
you didn’t take so I challenge you to
you didn’t take so I challenge you to say yes to try out for that sports team
say yes to try out for that sports team
say yes to try out for that sports team to say yes to singing in public to say
to say yes to singing in public to say
to say yes to singing in public to say yes to that promotion at work take
yes to that promotion at work take
yes to that promotion at work take opportunity buy the reins and ride
opportunity buy the reins and ride
opportunity buy the reins and ride because life is too short to live in
because life is too short to live in
because life is too short to live in what is and I wish I would have and
what is and I wish I would have and
what is and I wish I would have and although it is important to remain
although it is important to remain
although it is important to remain cautious
cautious
cautious Vegas to everything don’t be so quick to
Vegas to everything don’t be so quick to
Vegas to everything don’t be so quick to say no because you can be missing out on
say no because you can be missing out on
say no because you can be missing out on an amazing opportunity just waiting for
an amazing opportunity just waiting for
an amazing opportunity just waiting for you to reach out and grab because if
you to reach out and grab because if
you to reach out and grab because if you’re one for yes I wouldn’t be
you’re one for yes I wouldn’t be
you’re one for yes I wouldn’t be standing here in front of you all today
standing here in front of you all today
standing here in front of you all today thank you
”
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