If we never did anything that scared us, how boring would life be? If we always played it safe, never took a risk or a leap, never just jumped into something that scared the hell out of us, would we ever wind up with anything truly worthwhile?
Did you ever get a job you wanted by playing it safe, by blending in? Did you ever get someone's number or start a new romantic relationship without some blind faith? We don't find ourselves in a new home, a new place, a new career, a new relationship, without a little bit of jumping head first into something unknown.
Fear, much like imperfection, is often misconstrued with a negative connotation. We think being scared is bad. We think it's weak or that it makes us less than what we should be. If a guy is scared, he's a bitch. If a girl is scared, she's "that" girl. When we find ourselves feeling fearful of something, we tend to want to run or back down, or we try to dodge a conversation or run away from our own emotions. I see examples of this in my life almost daily. How often do we stay in a job we don't love out of fear of doing something else? How often do we stay living in our current city just because we know it to be home? I know that I am where I am, partially because of fear of what else is out there not coming as smoothly as what I have now. It's how I operate, and it's how a lot of people operate: if it's too scary, I'll just avoid it.
The thing about fear, though, is that it can be thrilling, exciting, and the best means to something new or something better. Nothing worth having comes easily, and sometimes you have to take a little risk. You have to take a step forward, or sometimes a giant leap, to get what you want out of life. What are you waiting for?
I am stepping up to this 21 day challenge, as a means to face some of my fears in a more positive way, as well as to make some positive change in my life: http://www.weandserendipity.com/2013/01/ive-been-thinking-about-this-little.html . But, I am going to start in reverse, with #8 on the list - do one thing every day (for 21 days) that scares me. I think the timing of this is excellent. I just had a birthday, I'm feeling adventurous, and the weather is still summer-y, which tends to keep me more motivated that the winter cold.
Part of what makes life - and the things in it - exciting, is the fear we have to experience to get where we're at. We don't get ahead, we don't fall in love, and we don't move forward, without facing our fears head on. Change is both exciting and frightening; making waves isn't easy. But it's a necessary part of life. And if we embrace our fears, it is also exhilarating.
Fear, much like imperfection, is often misconstrued with a negative connotation. We think being scared is bad. We think it's weak or that it makes us less than what we should be. If a guy is scared, he's a bitch. If a girl is scared, she's "that" girl. When we find ourselves feeling fearful of something, we tend to want to run or back down, or we try to dodge a conversation or run away from our own emotions. I see examples of this in my life almost daily. How often do we stay in a job we don't love out of fear of doing something else? How often do we stay living in our current city just because we know it to be home? I know that I am where I am, partially because of fear of what else is out there not coming as smoothly as what I have now. It's how I operate, and it's how a lot of people operate: if it's too scary, I'll just avoid it.
The thing about fear, though, is that it can be thrilling, exciting, and the best means to something new or something better. Nothing worth having comes easily, and sometimes you have to take a little risk. You have to take a step forward, or sometimes a giant leap, to get what you want out of life. What are you waiting for?
I am stepping up to this 21 day challenge, as a means to face some of my fears in a more positive way, as well as to make some positive change in my life: http://www.weandserendipity.com/2013/01/ive-been-thinking-about-this-little.html . But, I am going to start in reverse, with #8 on the list - do one thing every day (for 21 days) that scares me. I think the timing of this is excellent. I just had a birthday, I'm feeling adventurous, and the weather is still summer-y, which tends to keep me more motivated that the winter cold.
So, bring it on, fear, I'm ready.
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