American Girl Magazine

Facing Fears

Eleven-year-old Gwyn asked this question: "Have you ever conquered a fear that you thought you couldn't? Share a moment when you did something, even though you felt scared."

These girls shared their thoughts:

My friends and I were going to sing together in a school talent show. At the last minute, they felt too nervous, so they dropped out. I was going to have to sing all by myself! I found my courage and sang a solo. After the show, my classmates told me I did a great job.
–Veronica, age 11, Missouri

I broke my arm, so I had to have an MRI. It's a medical test that happens while you lie in a machine that looks like a tunnel, and it helps doctors see what's going on inside the body. I was really nervous, but the doctor was very nice. It ended up just being noisy, and it was over before I knew it.
–Grace, age 9, Florida

I went to an amusement park, and there was a roller coaster with a huge drop. I'm scared of roller coasters, but my friend said we could go together. I felt jittery as I got on the ride. The drop ended up not being so bad! In fact, I rode the roller coaster three more times.
–Tessa, age 11, Florida

I used to be scared to call my friends. I was always afraid that an adult might pick up the phone. One day, I called a friend and her mom answered. I had a nice conversation with her, and now calling my friends' houses is a lot easier.
–Isabella, age 12, California

I was looking at a website, and I noticed that my friend had made a comment on the site about a game. Even though she was just sharing her opinion, a few of our classmates didn't agree with her and wrote mean things. The next day at school, I told these girls to leave my friend alone. That was the day I overcame my shyness.
–Rachel, age 11, Illinois

When I started playing volleyball, I didn't think I was that good—and I never wanted to be in the front row. But this year, I became a starter, and at my last game, I made a perfect spike. I helped my team win the game!
–Annie, age 12, Alabama

I've conquered a big fear of bees. I mentioned my fear to my third-grade teacher, so she asked me to write a report about bees. Learning about them helped me to feel less afraid. Now bees don't scare me.
–Erin, age 10, California

My best friend and I were planning to be in gymnastics together, but we got put into different classes. I wanted to drop out of gymnastics—I didn't want to try those moves without my friend at my side. I decided to at least go for the first day, and I enjoyed it. I couldn't wait to go to the next practice.
–Victoria, age 11, Ohio

I wanted to be my school's student council president. I had to give a speech in front of 120 kids—I was so nervous! Even though I didn't win, I was proud of myself for overcoming my fear and trying.
–Gracey, age 12, New York

I've always been afraid of going to sleepovers—I get really homesick. My friend was having a sleepover for her birthday, and I knew it would hurt her feelings if I didn't go. I had a blast! I'm still not a big fan of sleepovers, but I felt good knowing that I conquered my fear, even if it was just for one night.
–Alex, age 13, Colorado

One time, my teacher assigned us seats for class, and I ended up next to a girl I don't get along with. I was so upset. But I decided to be nice and polite, and guess what? It wasn't so bad after all. I felt good about giving this girl a chance, and believe it or not, I gained a new friend, too.
–Serena, age 11, Michigan

Heights freak me out. At my summer camp, I wanted to ride a zip line, even though I was terrified. I felt better knowing that the instructors were right there to help, and I was wearing safety equipment, too. It turned out to be really fun, and it was my favorite thing I did at camp.
–Mariah, age 12, Colorado