My three year old has recently discovered a fear of bugs. Literally out of nowhere.
This proves difficult at times…like anytime we go outside.
Some days the fear is great. Other days she has forgotten that bugs exist.
I was talking to a co-worker the other day about an adventure she went on. She repelled down a cave and had to go through a very small space to get back out. I told her she was crazy. And then it dawned on me.
Fear that Keeps Me Back
The older I become, the less likely I am to take risks. I now know too much. There are so many things I want to do in life. But fear keeps me from moving forward. I tell myself that what I want to achieve is impossible. If I tell myself it is impossible, then I will not take the chance and do not have the chance to fail. Seems like horrible cyclical thinking to me. As I was pondering this thought, I came across a quote by my friend Chris Holmes
Daily, the following questions flood my mind…
What will people say about me?
What if I look stupid?
What will people think about me?
What if no one reads what I write?
What if I move forward with what I think I am supposed to do, but fail?
And then I remember; those in my life may think, say to me, or what they may say about me, they are simply living in a place of fear themselves. They are uncomfortable with what I may be called to do as they only have their experience and worldview to draw from. When they voice their fear, the comment usually comes across in a negative tone. I have also experienced the sarcastic remark when I tell of my dreams and what I want to accomplish.
Reward Greater than the Risk
The potential reward has to be greater than the risk being taken. Until I realize that, until you realize that, we can never live up to our full potential. We tend to live in a place of “what ifs” without exploring the depths of what could be.
[bctt tweet=”We tend to live in a place of what ifs without exploring the depths of what could be.”]
To move beyond the place of fear, ask yourself the following questions:
If time were not an issue, what would you want to do?
If you had all of the money in the world, how would you spend your day?
If you could go on any adventure, what would it be?
If you don’t do _________ (fill in the blank), will you regret it?
The Greatest Reward
The greatest reward we can give ourselves is to choose to live in a place that allows us to take healthy risks. Understanding this concept will help you move to taking greater risks. Risks that can have abundant rewards.
The reality is that we are often our worst critic. If we can get past the negative comments that play in our head, we have overcome half of the struggle. There will be those in our life that respond to our dreams negatively, but I find that often people simply smile when I share my goals and dreams.
And my three year old?
She decided that being outside flying a kite on a windy day was worth the risk of coming in contact with potential bugs.
Here’s to the Journey!
