The Antidote to Fear is Action

What is fear? How does the thought of fear stop us from taking action? But what is fear when you don't know what to expect? The answer is simple: dare to take action to find out.

Kenmore Square in Boston, MA

At the beginning of my senior year in high school, I didn't have a plan. I had no guidance, and knowing my parents couldn't afford college tuition made my future seem bleak and limited. It felt like my education would end after high school.

My guidance counselor called me into his office and asked the most important question at the time: "What are your plans after graduation?" With eyes wide open, I didn't have an answer. I felt nothing about it, which clearly wasn't the response he wanted. He gave me an assignment: come back next week with three colleges you'd like to attend.

Luckily, my high school had a college advisor and a small office where students could research colleges. They kept binders filled with up-to-date school information and applications.

I met with the college advisor, who quickly presented what felt like barrier after barrier and an endless list of reasons why I shouldn't pursue this assignment. Knowing this burden would be heavy on my parents if I got accepted, what about the cost of applying? Setting up for the SAT and other required exams that cost money? Everything I needed to do had an associated cost. What was a girl to do?

I started asking questions, and with each question came answers that led to more questions. For example, how was I going to pay for applications? Thankfully, some schools waive this fee. How was I going to pay for tuition? Government loans, grants, scholarships, and funds are set up for students like me looking to improve their outcomes.

I was inspired and filled with hope.

I chose my three options and followed up with my counselor, who reviewed them and then asked, "You want to go to the East Coast?" What was I setting myself up for? But these schools resonated with me, and I could see myself outside of California, so my answer was a solid and ecstatic yes. He agreed to help me through the process: filling out applications, reviewing them, asking for letters of recommendation, and crafting my personal story.

After it was all said and done, I was accepted to the college at the top of my list: Simmons in Boston, Massachusetts.

My focus was so fixed on checking off my to-dos that I hadn't planned or imagined what to do once I got there. I soon learned that the best lessons in life come with hard knocks and self-preservation.

Not only did I build a relationship with my guidance counselor, but also with the college counselor. During one of my visits to his office, he asked me why I didn't make the list of students recommended to travel from my city. I had no clue. He told me that my city sponsored 12 outstanding students to travel for 10 days to Boston, New York, and Washington D.C., all expenses paid. Again, I showered him with questions about how I could make this happen. He said I needed to get my grades up.

So in addition to the college application process, a teenage social life, and part-time work, I doubled down on my studies because I had one semester left to make up the difference. My goals kept growing, and obstacles kept creeping up and gnawing at me, but my mindset had only one vision: to do what it took to get to college.

I did it! Not only did I get accepted to Simmons on a scholarship, but I also made the cut to go on this trip. This was going to be my only opportunity to visit my future school. The connections I made on this trip led to opportunities and very crucial connections. The chaperones were city employees and council members. When we returned, I needed a summer job to supplement my income for my move. My connections recommended and encouraged me to apply for a camp counselor position offered by the city. I got the job and worked until it was time to leave.

Graduation Day at Simmons University

When the summer ended and I purchased my plane ticket, I was on my way to start my new life without family, friends, or a steady income. But I did have $100 in hand. I didn't have time to think; I only had time to act, and that's what I did. When I landed in Boston, I got a cab and headed to my new life.

I didn't have time to fear what I didn't know, nor did I understand the concept of fearing the unknown. Getting there and making it work was my only option. Those were the most powerful and most challenging times in my life, but they also generated my most precious memories and the foundation for my most important lessons. They taught me to meet challenges without fear and solidified my sense of fearlessness. I haven't stopped.

Looking back, I realize that fear wasn't really about the unknown itself. It was about standing still and imagining all the ways things could go wrong. The moment I started moving, asking questions, and taking concrete steps, fear lost its grip. Each small action built momentum and revealed solutions I couldn't see from where I started. Fear thrives in inaction, but it dissolves in motion. When you focus on the next step instead of the entire staircase, even the biggest challenges become manageable. That $100 in my pocket and a one-way ticket to Boston taught me the most valuable lesson of all: you don't need to see the whole path to take the first step.

Graduation Day at Emerson College