Reframing fear
I hid for so long.
Never sharing my ideas. Too scared of being seen.
This may not be so for you. Each of us have different fears.
But most of us, fear our fears.
Early on, our fears are real. They stop us from jumping off balconies or setting ourselves on fire. But soon, they take on new forms.
With time we forget the difference between fear that keeps us safe and fear that keeps us stuck.
All fear is not real fear
Real fear has real consequences. Mostly things that could get us killed or gravely injured. But the more pervasive, learned fear is about imagined dangers. The funny thing is that they feel exactly same. I get a racing heart and sweaty palms, just putting this story out into the world.
I used to turn back at this point.
Then one day, I stepped outside my wall of fear. And I did not die.
That was a revelation.
Reframing fear
Remember the pounding heart. I felt the same way when I saw my son pulling himself up on his tiny feet, the very first time.
I was not afraid then. I was excited!
It was a glimpse of a wider world. New possibilities.
So I tried recasting my fears.
I feel my fear without fighting it. Without turning away. And then, instead of judging it as fear, I think about how exciting it is. How I’m all worked up because I can’t wait to try this.
Think about all that you can do, all that you can be, if your fears excite you
Why waste this energy working things up? Why not harness it?
Let's use what's been holding us back, to launch us forward.