I can remember a time in my life when fear about what others would think of me would keep me from expressing my opinion or standing up for myself, even in situations where I should have been putting up a serious fight for what I believed was right.  I never had any problem coming out swinging in defense of others, but when it came to defending myself, that was another story.  The same fears held me back when it came to busting out of my comfort zone or breaking rules (even the ones that just ask to be broken). A few years ago, I finally drew a line and decided to…