People always tell you that your high school years are some of the best years of your lives. But what about if you have anxiety?

When I would go out with a group of friends in during high school, I would be the one to say things such as “are you sure we should be doing this?” or “are we going to get in trouble?” I was always nervous about getting in trouble or think that what we were doing would end badly.

I went through high school being afraid to expand my horizons and take chances. Being a junior in college now, I look back at those years and regret not taking more chances. Because of this, I began seeing a therapist when I started college.

I quickly began to realize that I was missing out on life and stories to tell later on in life. I started taking steps to get out of my shell and conquer my anxiety and live the life I want to. And so far, it has been a very life-changing challenge.

Since I began taking more chances, I have had some of the best nights of my life with people that are really close to me. Not only do amazing nights like those provide stories to tell and pictures to show, but they have also helped me grow as a person. It has helped me learn and it has helped me find who I am without defining myself as someone with anxiety.

While my anxiety is still there and still shows through sometimes, I have been able to overcome the fears to try new things and take more chances. I have been able to do things like talk to my favorite band after shows, travel places and explore with my friends without being worried about something bad happening, take chances and apply for positions I would like to have in my career field and so much more.

If you are struggling with putting your anxiety in the backseat while trying to live your life to the fullest, I suggest taking small steps. Do something different every day that you would not normally do. Do something that scares you.

As cliché as that sounds, I can tell you that the results will leave you feeling better about yourself and you will feel accomplished.