My Motto

I have heard people use certain mottos to describe themselves, their lives, and mostly, the way they choose to follow a particular path. All the while, I was not fully aware of my own. While I had many ideas of what it could be, it felt like a next-level commitment to say what it was.

At least to say it to someone else.

This phrase has been ringing in my ears for many years now.

Feel the fear and do it anyway (and nope, I have yet to read the book!).

Have I always followed my motto? No.

But have I mostly followed through it (when I deemed reasonable)? Yes, I have.

An example of when it was unreasonable to me was when I was in Lagos, Algarve. Something only people close to me know is that I cannot swim. (Yet, I was at a water park with my cousin.) There was this particular ride which I was very scared to do, yet I tried to persuade myself to try. However, when I was on the cue to sit on a floaty (with the purpose of falling into the water), I noticed how high up I really was, and how deep I would be falling into the water. My cousin had already gone ahead of me, and I was next in line. I felt my heart drop, and made a quick decision to walk away, then put myself through that.

And that would be an example of it being unreasonable to me.

On the other hand, there have been times when I have done things despite being very scared and anxious.

If I had let my fear and anxiety stop me, I think I would have been a totally different type of person. When you come to the other side of your fears, you can see the world in a new light, with a new perspective.

But when you choose to stay in the 'comfort' zone, to avoid facing your fears and anxieties, you end up limiting a lot of your potential.

Sometimes even just talking to a person, taking the next step, being really honest about how I feel- requires courage on my part.

And there have been times when I have just wanted to hide under the covers, and facing the world has been challenging. Yet if I don't do it, then I would have missed out on things that could really make me happy.

I could miss out on becoming a bit lighter. I could miss out on my chance to release my fear and experience greater freedom than before.

I have found that on the other side of fear, lies freedom. So, I repeat my mantra that has somehow become my motto, to move my body in the direction it needs to go.

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Reflective Questions

What are some of your fears and anxieties?

How do you deal with them?

What is one of your life's motto you abide by?

What is one brave thing you have done most recently?