Fear

Franklin Roosevelt said it best, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." I hate using a quote like that but it's true. It's what keeps me from doing things all the time.

The subject of fear has been on my mind a lot these days. It's pretty damn scary and daunting to start a new career, being so green and all, and to just chuck my old life. I had three months of build up and doing preventative things to make sure we would be ok once I left my job, but the fear was still there. All the what if's. They consumed me. Sometimes, I admit, they do still keep me up at night.

Then, this morning a friend wrote to me about all the things she fears. Losing loved ones, old age, illness, financial crises and fear of getting fat. I have to say these are the basics. We all fear these things at some time or other don't we? I am afraid of all these things too. It's natural I think. However, I realized that I cannot let them stop me or get in the way of my everyday life. For a decade plus I was afraid to begin writing. Why? Fear of rejection. Easy as that. Blogging was a freakin' godsend. What better way to test out the waters than a blog. After a few months of feedback from readers I had the courage to start thinking of myself as a writer and then actually apply for writing jobs. Guess what happened? I got a few jobs. Small ones, but I'm getting there. Each one just propels me further away from the fear of rejection. I know that it's real in this business and pretty much a daily thing. I can laugh it off usually. I don't take it to heart so much anymore.

I told my friend that releasing and overcoming the fear is much better than holding on to it. The freedom that comes with not just figuring out what I needed to do but actually doing it has been pretty mind-blowing. I feel much more open and happy. There are so many more pure moments of joy in my life now it's really quite unbelievable. Yeah sure there are days of tedium, the laundry monster makes a weekly looming visit. I already have an easy banter with the grocery baggers going as does T.D., but I've overcome one of my biggest obstacles I've had to date and it's feels fan-freakin-tastic.

So I say, tell me your fears readers. Even if they seem small. Figure them out and make a pact with yourself that by putting them out there on the comments section you will take one step no matter how small it seems towards releasing and overcoming that fear. Fear of spiders? Fear of the dark (oh that is me big time, but that's what you get when someone likes to lock in you dark spaces for a laugh), or fear of losing a loved one? Figure out what you need to do to let it go and give it up to something higher than you. Even if it's pure air.