Courage in the time of fear

“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.”


Some messages never grow old. There are some topics that after I’ve read two or three posts about them, I’m done. Being bold is not one of those topics.

Naturally as human beings, we are comforted by routine. The safety net it brings allows you to feel like you’re in control of your life and what tomorrow will bring. It becomes your identity, how you describe yourself and how others define you. It becomes your main frame of reference when making decisions. It allows you to fit into a certain social category; heck, it even gives you new friends. When that safety net is suddenly ripped away, you’re left exposed. You’re suddenly vulnerable and lost, like a chick that was separated from mother hen and siblings when crossing the road. You start to look left and right, looking for anything that looks familiar or accepting. The doubt then starts to set in; were you even ever what you thought you were? Are you sure you weren’t a phony the whole time, an act that got so good at the scene that it looked real? Are you anything without that safety net? What about your friends; will they really still be your friends even after you’re no longer under the same net? Was it the right decision?



The truth of the matter is Fortune favors the bold. No one ever got anywhere without taking the risk, and trust me it doesn’t matter who you are, risks scare everyone. Nobody said you wouldn’t be afraid. The trick is to do it even when you are afraid. Choose to focus on the little courage you have and drown out all the fear/doubts. I’m not talking about that action that you know will hurt everyone around you and put you in trouble. I’m also not talking about those whims that come as a result of watching too much soapy television. No. I’m talking about that itch that keeps you awake at night. That thing you can’t wait to get up and do in the morning. That thing that brings you so much fulfillment because you know that you know that you know that this is what you’re supposed to be doing! You’re probably reading this and thinking, “Nah, this ain’t for me. I’m way too unimportant. I have too much to lose. I couldn’t possibly be able to pull it off.”

I wish I could tell you that it will all most definitely work out but I can’t. It will probably be hard and you will most probably go through some days where you wonder if you did the right thing. But if you don’t, you will spend each and every day of your existence half alive. You will grow resentful and angry and lose all sort of motivation. You will simply drift from one day into another and ask questions like, “What day is it?” and it won’t be because of a crazy night out the night before. One day 20 years down the road, you will wake up and wonder where your life went. All the things you were afraid would happen if you did still happened when you didn’t. You will carry around the pain of a loss so great that it will show in your empty sad eyes and your stooped walk.


Do it. Take the plunge. Today is only the beginning of the rest of your life.


Comments

  1. There comes a time when you will not allow the negative outer situations to tamper with inner peace. You just decide enough is enough. well written Kullein! I hope 2017 is the year of more blog posts.

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