“Fear is a mind conqueror … Pain is only temporary.” This singular phrase pushed me through the long days and nights in college spent enduring a grueling fraternity pledge process (shout out to the Nupes). It became a daily devotional for my life; but as soon as I crossed, I no longer needed it—or so I thought…

There was a time in my life, when I allowed fear to consume me. But it wasn’t a fear of the societal ills that cause uneasiness to creep into the lives of many. Instead, my fears could all be traced back to an anxiety which primarily centered on all things love and relationship based. I had a laundry list of them…