Fear Not....

Have you ever been talking to someone and they say that they want to do something or go somewhere but when you suggest they do that or go there, they always have a reason why they can't do that right now? It's the kids, the parents, the economy, the weather, their health, their pets, just some reason why they can just not do that right now-but someday.....

Nursing homes are full of people that would tell you that life flies by as do opportunities, and that if they had it all to do over again they would do it differently but they always had some responsibility or some obligation that prevented them from doing what they really wanted to do.

But then you look around and see that throughout history there are people that had the same sort of obligations & responsibilities yet they went after the things that they really wanted, and didn't regret it.

So what holds people back? I have to say that for most, it's fear. All that other stuff is just choices and priorities, seized on to anchor one to where life is comfortable. Fear of failure, fear of inadequacy, fear of success, fear of change, fear or whatever. Let's face it, stepping outside of what is comfortable is scary and uncomfortable. It involves risks most aren't willing to take, the biggest of which is possibly failing in front of your family and peers, all of whom see you in a certain 'mold' so if you don't conform to that mold anymore they tend to notice and may not be happy about it.

Is there a solution? Not sure if there is a one size fits all solution, but if there is one, it would certainly involve knowing what it is that you truly want to do, be and have. Not what it would be nice, what you might wish for-but what you really, really want and then asking yourself; how can I? The answers will appear when you start seeking them. But what about the fear, you say? Ask a veteran and they will tell you fear does not just go away but you ignore it and get busy or it takes over.

I am reminded of a woman that started her own business, risking everything she owned to do so. An acquaintance of hers told her that she would never do that because she had children to take care of and the woman replied her children were exactly why she started the business.