I know, the Disney title is fitting because it’s March Madness and we’ve already had some major upsets and are hoping there’s a Cinderella story in there somewhere, but rather than the rags to riches story (side note: I won’t deny those if you’re offering), I’m celebrating the person with their bow and arrow who fights for their own hand, the one who’s brave enough to live outside of expectations and make something of themselves.

My Friday Favorite this week goes out to those who truly believe they can be something else, something more, even something unexpected, and who aren’t afraid to want it all.

I interact with a lot of people every day. Some in person, some online, some I’ve never met and some I see five days a week and in all of this interacting, I’ve learned one thing: we all struggle with the fear of failure, of feeling like less, and we all fall into the trap of comparing ourselves. Crazy, right?

As an author, I put myself out to the public on the daily, not only allowing but at times inviting them to read my work, something that comes from my heart, and judge it. I ask them to meet my characters and understand where they came from, to see their side of the story and hopefully feel something from it even if they can’t understand it one hundred percent. There are days I wonder if I reach any readers; days I see other authors achieve more reviews in a few hours than I have in years and I think “well, my time is done.” And then, without fail, one person will write me an email, send me a tweet, give me a review, that reminds me that even if I’m barely known, I’m known by someone.

Last week, I was doing all of my social updates and I came across a post by a lovely blogger who has run reviews and tours for me in the past. She had status updated that she was feeling envious of the other bloggers, those who ran what seemed to be an impossible amount of tours and had tons of followers and she just didn’t understand how they did it because she already felt overwhelmed and like she had no time. And this is something I can relate to.

Too often we worry about what others are doing that we’re not, what milestones others have hit that we have not, and it drags us down because with all of those worries comes the paralyzing fear. Well, the good news is as natural as fear is, hope is also there - Pandora's box gave us everything people, let us not forget that.

Livvy’s two favorite Disney princesses are Rapunzel and Merida, and I have to say, it makes me happy to see that she admires these two, of all the ones she's seen; girls who aren’t beautiful in the traditional sense, girls that want to see the world in a new way, ones that are willing to be strong and funny and offer forgiveness. (And yes, it's also because they both get to have a horse, but I'm making a point here.)

Women, people, characters, LIFE, it's unique, and only the bravest of people get to see all of that.

In honor of my beautiful daughter who is in the photo doing her very first VOGUE impression because she is going to be a hip-hopping, dancing, singing, soccer-playing, horse riding, ballerina BOSS when she grows up (almost her exact words, btw, I can’t make this stuff up), I’m making this week’s favorite Friday for my girl and all others like her. This week, let's celebrate the BRAVE ONES, the people who fear and compare and get nervous, and still take the risk anyway.

Dream, hope, explore, take a chance. We call that LIVIN in our house.

Happy Friday, people. Go get your dream, and give fear the bird on your way, it deserves it. <3