Fear of failure is in all of us no matter how hard we try to deny it. I am here to tell you that fear is not all bad. It’s all about perspective. Over my lifetime, especially in the past two years since entering college, I have turned my fears into the fuel that drives my determination to overcome roadblocks. So what if I “fail?” The experiences and people along the way are who I have learned from the most. Too much time is wasted on peer comparison and too little time is spent on personal growth. College is notorious for promoting competition, but, it can also channel your future purpose. One organization in which I competed for a spot, Florida Leadership Academy, took mere sophomores, and turned our inhibitions into rallies. Once a week, several renowned guest speakers imbued upon us that the number one attribute of a great leader was…
“TO BE FEARLESS!”
This ammunition would propel me to formulate a power student group to propose several new initiatives for the differently abled community at UF. I live with several intelligent students who cope with a variety of disabilities, and I find them to be fire-crackling, wild and fun human beings, to say the least! Together, our goal was to address campus-wide issues such as transportation, elevators, and recreation. The stigma that individuals are defined by their disabilities or chronic conditions is far from the truth, yet even at the one of the Top 10 universities in the country, administration must be reminded, even educated to this. By taking action, our group was able to meet with the vice president of student affairs and make productive changes for current and future students at the University of Florida. I found that expressing vulnerability through our conversations allowed deeper motives to be conveyed. Exposing vulnerabilities is not easy but sometimes it’s necessary for meaningful impact. Recently, the Disability Resource center hosted an advocacy assembly to empower students to embrace their community. I had the honor to chat with MsWheelchairFL, shavaughn Barnes, about the ever growing need for disability awareness! Proud that the UF DRC is fostering inclusivity within higher education! Below find out how @ms._wheelchairfl2018 lives fearlessly through a short interview
My voice was emboldened here, and now there’s no holding back my passion to make a difference. I learned that a team is greater than one. I learned that if you surround yourself with people who have similar passions, fear becomes the fuel for breaking boundaries. I learned that fearless is for me. Is it for you, too?
~fearless means taking risks~
~fearless means speaking up~
~fearless means accepting failure~
~fearless means being adaptable~
~fearless means exposing vulnerabilities~
~fearless means being prepared to make a positive impact~
