Everyone has fears. I know I’m afraid of spiders (and really any large insects), as well as enclosed spaces. But my biggest fear is failure. Failure in my work life. Failure in my love life. Failure in being a good parent. Facing our fears isn’t easy.
Once I was sitting on my sofa watching television late at night. Happened to notice a large spider crawling down my shirt… Needless to say I never got up so quickly in my life! I flicked it off me as I got up, turned on the lights, found it and killed it. Fear faced.
If only it was that easy facing our fears all the time. Take my career for example. I always dreamed of being an actor. But I was so afraid of failure, I had to have a backup plan. I wasted years (and money) at university taking courses that I really wasn’t interested in. Chasing my dream was too scary, so I stopped. What if I didn’t quit? Maybe I would be a successful actor…
I’m afraid to tell a friend how I really feel about her. Will she reject me? I’d be so embarrassed. So instead I catch up with her a few times a year and don’t say anything. What if I had told her years ago? Maybe I would have someone to love…
My ex is such a natural parent, it’s like she was born to do it. She knows what to say to them and when to say it. I fear that I’m the opposite, I still don’t know what I’m doing half the time. I’m afraid what I say or do will affect them in the wrong way. Does that fear prevent me from being the best dad I can be??
For a lot of years, I was even afraid to be myself. Those fears prevented me from really getting to know people. Maybe I would have some great friends if I’d faced my fears.
Facing our fears is the toughest thing to do throughout our lives. But if we don’t, we aren’t living our best lives. I’m less afraid to be myself, my confidence is getting better each day. Slowly, I’m starting to face my fears.