I'm not a brave person. I never have been, and I never will be. I'm the girl who sits in the back of the class and minds my own business. I speak when I am called on and I try to be outgoing, but I'm not brave enough to show everyone who I really am, or who I want to be.

There were so many times in life where I could have faced my fear of being judged. I could have tried out for my high school play. I could have told the guy I liked how I felt about him. I could have joined that awesome writing club where you get to read you work in front of other people. I want to be that confident person, but I can't face my fears.

If I could go back and do something all over  again, if I could give myself a pep talk and convince myself to not be afraid of what others thought about me, I would have done... everything. I would relive my life all over again, because sometimes it's easier to relive all of the moments instead of just one. Sometimes it's better to start small and work your way up to the big things.

What if I had told that senior he was my hero before he graduated? What if I had entered that singing contest in seventh grade? What if I had auditioned for my high school's musical? What if I told my parents I had other plans for my life than what they had for me? Would my life be any different? Would I be popular and loved by everyone, or would I just be the same shy and depressed girl I am now? Would it have made a difference in my life?

I'm just a fifteen year old girl trying to survive her freshman year of high school. I don't have time to dwell on the past or to think about what my life would be like right now if I had been braver. But, the truth is, it doesn't matter. The past is the past, and there's no way we can change it. We need to focus on the future and on the present and be the best person we can be today. We don't have to be the same person we were yesterday.

So, I ask myself this, and I encourage you all to do the same: What if I face my fears today?