Julianne Hough says she’s done letting fear control life

Julianne Hough, American actress and dancer who rose to immense fame after her show Dancing with the Stars, recently got real about her fears. 

The 36-year-old star froze her eggs three times to ease a fear that had been weighing on her. She said it helped her stop worrying about the pressure to race against time.

Julianne had gone through a divorce and dealt with health issues like endometriosis. However, taking this step gave her peace and space to live on her own terms.

She told PEOPLE: “I have some other health implications that might make [conceiving] challenging, and I got a divorce and now I'm in a different stage of life. For me, it's never been about, 'I'm not ready,' but I know it is for some people. I think the time will be right when it's right.

“I wasn't really showing it to be like, 'I'm going to make a big statement,' but with the response I got, I saw how important it was. I found out I have endometriosis when I was 19 or 20, and I wish back then I would've been told to freeze my eggs, but I wasn't told until later on."

The star shared that she found the procedure easier every time.

She said: “It ain't easy when you're doing the shots, but I will say this time around, I had a much better understanding of what I needed. Also, the first time I did it, I didn't do the shots myself. I went in every day, and they did them for me. Then I was like, 'Wait, I feel really empowered doing them myself.' Along the way I was able to call friends who have gone through it at any moment and be like, 'Hey, I feel really crazy right now. Can you just come over and sit next to me?'"

Julianne has been through pain, but she said she wouldn’t rewrite any part of her journey. Every moment, even the hard ones, helped shape who she is now.