Take Every Chance. Drop Every Fear.

"What up big homie*," I greeted him just like I always have.

"What's wrong friend," he asked with sincere concern.

We had only been on the phone for a matter of seconds, and without me having to utter a word he knew I was not feeling like myself.

"Are you drunk or high off drugs," he joked causing me to laugh. The sensation was amazing because I momentarily forgot about all of the butterflies that had been fluttering through my gut all night.

I had no way to express to him what I was really feeling and how my mind was filled with doubts and driving me on the verge of insanity. I have never cared about what anyone thought about me, so I just couldn't tell him that I was only 10 pages away from finishing my first novel, but the overwhelming fear of failure was killing my creativity buzz. It had filled my mind and consumed every ounce of me that it literally made me feel sick to my stomach.

"I don't know. I just don't know," I said after every sentence. "What if this is a flop and no body actually reads my shit," I finally blurted out my confession after several unsuccessful attempts.

Although he was clearly busy and surround with many women who were desperate for his attention, he took his time to make me laugh and assuage my worries.

"Fear is natural, but don't let it decide your fate. Some will praise your work, and face it, some are going to hate it; that's the circle of life and how things go. You're never going to find out until you actually finish writing it, so get to it."

MORAL OF THE STORY: "Surround yourself only with people who want to lift you higher because there is enough people who can't wait to bring you down."

*nickname has been changed