“Always do what you are afraid to do.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
This should be tattooed on my arm.
Why is it so hard for us to do what we are afraid of?
And why is it that once we take that risk, it is a huge relief, even if things don’t turn out as we had hoped. Whether it is making a change, challenging someone, making a doctor appointment or telling someone what we really think, all that stuff that builds up until we finally do that thing is toxic.
Facing our fears disempowers them. Yes. If we just stop procrastinating and do that thing we most fear, the angst is gone. Best of all, sometimes we might even feel relieved or proud of ourselves for having done it. You know those moments when you say, “Phew! I am so glad I did that.” or “Why didn’t I do this earlier?” or “Well, at least now I know.”
What are you most afraid of at this moment? What is the worst that could happen if you take that step? What is the best thing that could happen? What is really likely to happen? Can you live with that? Or would you rather live in limbo? Will you have to do it eventually? Why waste all of that time and energy thinking about it, fretting over it, playing out the worst case scenarios?
I am not saying this as the expert in facing my fears. I am far from it. But I have found that with each fear I face, it gets a little bit easier to face another. Posting about taking risks, has forced me to take them more frequently. And now I am stepping it up. For this month, I am creating a record. I made a list of 30 things I am afraid to do or am feeling anxious about doing. My goal is to be able to check those things off the list.
Will you join me in this challenge?
Tessa Lemos is a Chicana who grew up and was educated in the Pacific Northwest, blossomed in New York City, and now lives in Nashville where she continues to learn and grow. She is a lawyer by training, administrator by profession, and organizer by habit. She spends her days with her children and her nights with her husband and squeezes in the words as much as possible.
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Wow. You issued a great challenge! Thirty things I’m afraid of, hmmm. Usually I get stuck in terror after the first three. I’m going to see what thirty things I discover.
I think sometimes we stay in limbo, even if we know it is something we’ll have to do eventually, so we can set things up for the situation as best we can and take time to wrap our minds around what might or will happen next. Sometimes it’s just too scary to jump off the diving board (or cliff), even we we know it’s inevitable.
I’d like to know some of the things on your list
Oh wow! Good one Tessa!
I’m like Roxann, i’ll have to do some honest reflecting, and see what I come up with.
Thanks for the challenge!
Tessa – 30? Wow! Please do keep us up to date with your successes. I know you will have many!