Letting Go of Fear

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.-Nelson Mandela

I have never gone bungee jumping. The closest I’ve come to it is being hoisted up several feet in the air on a bungee like apparatus at Six Flags. If I remember correctly, to my left was my scary friend at the time and to my right was my fearless friend. I was somewhere in between. Literally and figuratively.

I was never as scary acting as my scary friend but I was also not as brave and outgoing as my fearless friend, I was always just, somewhere in the middle. I am admittedly, an introvert. I enjoy my own company, a good bit of silence, a small circle or dot …of close friends and I can be what I would describe as socially awkward. Under the influence of alcohol, good company, and in the presence of strangers I will likely never see again I tend to morph into an intro-extravert.

Back to this Six Flags apparatus: We were high up in the air and were about to be dropped to swing (fly) several feet in front of us and my scary friend was holding my arm, in fear. I really wanted to experience this flight free of anything holding me back. So I let go and set my arm free. I flew unrestricted, unbound (except for the cords holding me up), and had a truly enjoyable experience.

Much like my scary friend, I used to allow my personality to hold me back from the exploration of so many greater opportunities in life. I used my personality as an excuse to avoid pursuing experiences that would push me out of my comfort zone. As I have matured, I have made conscious decisions to defy the fear, and push past my perceived limitations. In order to soar and reach new heights, it is oftentimes necessary to let go of the fear, the people, and your own perceived limitations that are holding you back. Fear is a natural mechanism that keeps us safe and out of the way of predatory creatures and unfortunate situations. But it can also be a paralyzing barrier between where you are and where you want to be.

Letting go of fear is a process. It will not be accomplished in a day, but why not start now? What kind of life do you want? What are you doing now to get you there? What are you afraid of and why? Is your fear more important than your future? Strive to be fear-less. Take it easy, be kind to yourself, but have less fear. Spread your wings and fly, not only for yourself , but for those who will watch you, and draw from you, their own inspiration.