We care what people think and say about us. But should we? Who cares!

We make decisions based on past experiences and how we felt at that the time. We create beliefs in our mind because of what happened. We also create illusions and think of worst-case scenarios which make us freeze in fear.

The trouble is that most of the time it’s fear that holds us back from trying new things. We are afraid that we will look silly, what if we get laughed at, what if my ego is hurt. Yes sometimes we get knocked down but the brave get back up again.

I was lying on the beach with my daughter and she started to make a sand angel. This is where you drag your arms and legs up and down in the sand. Where you have been lying leaves an imprint of your body and your head, and your arms and legs make what looks like wings and a skirt. I made an angel as well. It felt wonderful connecting with to the earth, laughing with my child and enjoying the moment. I did not care who saw us and what they thought. A lady walked past and we smiled a knowing smile. She knew how great it was to share this experience with my child and have fun. If I had worried about what strangers would have thought then I would have missed this moment, that was far more important than even entertaining what other people might think of me.

It can be hard to try new things and I am sure you can come up with many reasons why you shouldn’t do something. I am more of a glass is full person, not half full and certainly not half empty. I try my best to look on the bright side of things. Next time you get presented with an opportunity and you want to try something, look at the bright side and think of 10 reasons why you have to do it.

Your past is just that, the past. Let it go and live right now. If the worst case is that you tried and didn’t like it, you might just have had fun trying.

Who cares what other people think of you, what matters is what you think of yourself. Remember a time that you overcame your fears, remember that feeling and keep going.

I finally had to the courage to tell my friends that I was writing a book and was going to publish it. I thought they would laugh, question why on earth I wanted to do that, say it was going to be terrible and that most authors don’t make any money from it. Instead, they were amazed, supportive, and turned it around by saying they felt proud to know an author. My fears were all in my head and yet who cares! I did it anyway and self-published and could not be more pleased. My next book will be easier as I have overcome my fears, have more knowledge and skills, gained contacts, and the sky is the limit. If you aim for the moon and miss, at least you will land amongst the stars.

Get moving and do what you want, grab life and run with it.

From time to time in this space, Balboa Press publishes articles written by our authors in which they share some aspect of their self-publishing journeys. These  are the words of Mikayla Holmes, future Balboa Press author.

Balboa Press authors who’d like to share a 350-600 word experience related to the self-publishing of their books, are invited to do so by sending a message through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BalboaPress, by tweeting us @BalboaPress, or by emailing blog@ balboapress.com. We may not be able to use every story, but we will read and consider them. Balboa Press reserves the right to edit stories for content, grammar and punctuation accuracy; as well as for space.