When you are young you leap without a care, you risk without a thought and you take on the world. A chance is an upside down rollercoaster, a first kiss or taking that last shot in a basketball game. A dare is telling your crush you are interested in them or applying to your dream college. You believe you can succeed and that good things happen to good people.
As adults we live a quieter existence. We create arbitrary limits for our achievements and we live in fear of disappointment. We are constantly worried and as a result, we spend more time retreating than dreaming. We stunt our growth and we hinder our creativity and we spend too much time coloring inside of the lines. Who taught us to live each day in fear?
There is truth to the saying, “Ignorance is bliss.? In some ways the less we know the more we can achieve. When you haven’t experienced failure, you don’t fear it. If you haven’t felt the pain of rejection, you won’t spend your life avoiding it. Inevitably we all experience these unpleasant emotions and the true test is whether we let these situations hold us back, or propel us forward.
This week I was forced to face one of my fears, and that was appearing on television. I have always dreamed of a career that includes writing and radio, but television has always been a source of anxiety for me. You see, with writing you can edit yourself and no one can see or hear you, and with radio you can only sound stupid, not look it. This was my rationale. With television, well, you can sound horrible and look terrified. Who in their right mind wants to look awkward in front of thousands, possibly millions of people? These are the thoughts that I lived with, until I got a call from a producer who wanted me to do a short segment for a new holistic health show.
My assistant took the call and relayed the message to me. My initial response was extreme fear and I believed I should decline. Although it is flattering to receive such an offer, I felt that I would make a complete fool of myself and I had no desire to do it. Well, that is only partially true. I did want to do it, but I was too afraid to commit to it.
The Universe however, clearly had another plan for me. I had decided to call the producer back and just hear him out. Somehow in the confusion my assistant copied his phone number down incorrectly, and despite our best efforts to dial the number ten different ways, we could not reach him. It was in this moment that I realized that I was devastated. I decided to shift my energy and I literally said out loud, “Ok Universe, if you really think this is beneficial to me I am up to the challenge. Help me to find a way to reach him and I will meet this with grace.? It was moments later that I had another idea. I emailed the head of marketing for his company and within minutes the producer called my office.
I was definitely tested, but it was the searching process that made me value the potential experience and I knew I needed to do it. Yes, I was terrified, but what would be worse – regret or temporary fear? I opted for fear. I filmed it this week and I can honestly say it was an incredible experience.
I urge you to ask yourself what you are avoiding because you are afraid? What are you missing out on because of a “what if?? Are you stunting your creativity for fear of rejection? Are you avoiding a relationship for fear of disappointment? Are you living in a city you dislike because you are afraid that a move could be worse? Ask yourself what your life could be like if you lived like a child again, even for just a moment and stay tuned for your own little miracle.
Happy Lifting!
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