The other side of fear.
I guess you can tell from the title what this could be about. But before I get to it, take a breathe in and out, and just enjoy. Maybe the reason we don't reach for most of our dreams and ambitions is because of the fear that comes with it.
As I walk around my school, I see people filled with dreams of changing the world. Dreams to help make this place better. Dreams to better themselves. But as I think about their dreams, I wonder what fears come with those dreams, what fears have been created in their minds to limit their effort in pursing those dreams.
I wonder what their mindset would be like if I told them to stop looking at their fears and look at the other side of fear. Look at the positives instead of the negatives. Because fear is an intriguing component of life; so valuable, but at the same time so debilitating. It's up to you to decide whether to use fear as a tool for growth or as a reason to settleIt sounds easy, but I know it's not. It takes a while to change your mindset, but here's a quick note:
There is nothing more powerful than a changed mind. You can change your hair colour and length, your face, your clothing, your address, your residence, but if you don't change your mind every experience will perpetuate itself over and over again.
I think it's time that we all step out of our comfort zones. We all complain so often about wanting to be more confident, wanting more things, wanting to be better, but never stepping out and actually reaching for it. I know some people are thinking "Yeah, I'm gonna change, I'm going to get better and step out" but than make excuses on excuses to get out of doing it. Because they think that stepping out is like fire, it's going to burn them. #RealTalk: I was also comfortable in my comfort zone, I loved staying in there, because I thought it was safe. But I missed out on so many opportunities to change, to get out of my self doubt and unworthiness. I remember the night my grandmother died in 2010. I had cried myself to sleep for weeks. I feared going to sleep, I feared waking up, I wanted it to be a dream & I wanted it to not be real. When I went back to New Zealand for the funeral, my grandfather took one look at me and said: "Most things worth having are outside of your comfort zone, on the other side of fear. I know you're scared to let go, but what comes after is something you'll never forget" I think back to little me, what would she have done? She had eyes filled with hope, trust and ambitions. She would never let anything hold her back, including fear.
I realise now, we all face fear, but do you attack that fear? Do you let that fear limit your living.I remember my dad would always tell me "A coward dies a thousand times, a brave man dies but once."So, let's stop hiding away and letting fear won. Let us look at the other side of fear, at the positives, I know it sounds cliche, but when was the last time you woke up and did something about it? Made an effort to do exactly what you're afraid of? Put yourself on the front line, those experiences shape your character. Realistically the worst that can happen is that you don't meet expectations, that you fall on your face, but then you get up ready for round 2 more prepared and wiser about what is coming your way. Imagine Neil Armstrong looking back one last time before stepping into the spaceship that would take him to the moon for the first time for humans. Imagine what could happen in your life if you simply looked beyond fear. All my love.