The alarm clock rang, but Anna did not want to get up. She had a big presentation at work today, and she was terrified of speaking in front of her boss and colleagues. She had spent the whole night tossing and turning, imagining all the ways she could mess up. What if she forgot her lines? What if she stuttered or mumbled? What if they laughed at her or criticized her? She wished she could just stay in bed and avoid the whole ordeal.

She reached for her phone and typed a message to her manager. She lied that she was feeling sick and asked for a day off. She hoped he would understand and reschedule the presentation. She hit send and waited for his reply. She felt a surge of relief, followed by a pang of guilt. She knew she was letting her team down, but she also felt like she had no choice. Her anxiety was too overwhelming to face.

She closed her eyes and tried to relax. She told herself she had made the right decision. She told herself she would do better next time. She told herself she was not a coward. But deep down, she knew she was lying to herself. She knew she had missed an opportunity to grow and prove herself. She knew she had let her fears control her direction in life.