Over the past few years, there were times when I lived in fear and doubt. I hesitated to do what needed to be done, thinking others would act similarly if they faced the same situation. Yet, I realized it was up to me to do the right thing. My mother’s advice led me to the solution I needed for my problem.

Let’s look back in time to late January of this year. It was one of the coldest days. We were on the cusp of a snowstorm. It was one of the stay-at-home times that we were all told to do. The day was going great. I was warm and cozy until I wasn’t. The indoor temperature was dropping throughout the afternoon when the temperature outside was rising, albeit in the teens. I had sensed that something wasn’t going right with the heat. It was the weekend, so I did not want to call. I didn’t want to bother maintenance with what I believed was a minor concern.

But as nightfall approached, there was no heat coming out of the radiators and concern was arising. I was hesitant to make a fuss or call, even though I knew the maintenance staff firsthand. I did not want to draw attention or cause strife, frustration, and so forth by doing the right thing. Before it got too late, I called my mom to get her opinion on the issue. She emphasized that it was necessary to act and make the call. It was something that should not be happening, especially given the cold. There was a potential for the building’s infrastructure to freeze, which would only make things worse.

I acted as I had done many times before. I called the number and explained the situation. They told me that they would be on their way. When they arrived, they discovered that the boiler power had kicked off. It needed to be turned on. Heat gradually came back to my home throughout the evening and once became what I had been used to experiencing. Speaking up can be fearful, especially when anticipating a bad reaction. Ironically, I was empathy in fearing a negative response. Nonetheless, I was lauded for doing what was needed. My actions prevented an issue from becoming worse. I noticed no heat coming from any of the radiators accessible to me. I monitored the temperature in my apartment. I used indoor thermostats in each room to gauge the temperature throughout the day to notice that something wasn’t right.

Knowing the right thing to do is to speak up when something is wrong. Yet, it can still be hard to do. This is especially true when we fear getting a response that drives fear in ourselves. We feel bad because we thought something was wrong but were unsure if it was valid or true. I felt reassured that I did the right thing. I understood that bravery sometimes comes in the smallest steps.