The dragon's power is unparalleled in myths, but it's much more common to imagine yourself in the position of the powerless humans in those stories. I'm here to tell you that you can reverse those roles and picture yourself as that fire-breathing leader!

But being so fearsome comes with its own anxieties. Others won't always be open to you stepping up and letting your voice be heard. As a former student journalist, I've had my fair share of angry responses from people unhappy with my work. But even on the small scale of the university level, I knew it was important to find the confidence to share the truth with my fellow student body.

The height of fear about the pandemic culminated during my final semester, and we were avidly reporting clusters of infected people in order for the on and off-campus populations to be well informed. Not everyone thought publicizing that was beneficial, and sometimes I found myself worried that my voice was being quieted because it should be. I could feel my confidence slipping.

There were a lot of opinions in the mix — good and bad. It was only when I listened to my own that I knew my final decision. If I were on the other side of these news articles, I would want to know anything and everything that affected my safety. I owed it to those people and myself to ensure that the truth was shared.

I'm so glad I was able to rely on my inner dragon to push through such a stressful moment. From that experience and many others, I know that confidence is an ebb and flow but it never leaves you. It's so important to remember that your inner dragon is always there waiting to help you through a tough spot.