Facing Fears
Fear is one of the most powerful emotions we can experience. We all have fears, and in many ways, fear keeps us safe. Fear tells us to take extra care when crossing the street or to trust in that gut feeling when something is wrong, but fear can also become an obstacle to achieving our goals and dreams.
For me, this year is about facing fears, so I've decided to do something huge to conquer each one. The first fear is volcanos. More specifically, death by lava. This fear has hindered me from traveling to places with volcanoes nearby.
Naturally, the only cure I could think of was to stay in a place surrounded by active volcanos and to get as close to one as possible. I booked my trip to Antigua, Guatemala, and discovered you could spend the night on an active volcano with a guide. So, I booked it. This hike is rigorous, dangerous and will push my fear to the limit.
My second fear is needles, so I'm getting a tattoo in March. I've always been told that I shouldn't and couldn't get tattoos because of one stigma or another, and while I've always loved tattoos, my fear of needles has been the main reason why I've never pulled the trigger.
Over the years, I've been collecting images of tattoos I love and realized over half of them belonged to one specific artist who lived in Poland. Her name is Karolina Szymańska, and her fine-line florals and insects are truly a work of art and, in my opinion, a fear worth facing.
That's right, I'm traveling to Poland to get not just one but two tattoos from this incredible artist whom I've been following for years. So the plan is to get a hip tattoo and a chest tattoo similar to the image on the right. I'm told it would take two days to complete, and I'm hoping I don't pass out.
The third fear was the fear of failure, so I finally submitted my book to literary agents. After a year of edits, Blood Lies has officially been submitted, and I'm both relieved and terrified of rejection.
Blood Lies is a dark YA vampire romance with crossover appeal. It's going to be bloody fantastic! I can't wait for this book to be out in the world, and of course, I'll be documenting my publishing journey along the way. So be sure to sign up for my Newsletter and follow my Instagram account, where I post daily.
You can read more about Blood Lies Here.
These are three big fears that have been holding me back from doing what I want and achieving my goals, but nothing is holding me back anymore! I hope this inspires you to face a fear of your own and to recognize that you can overcome any obstacle in your way.