Super, I didn’t manage to write a post for February in February, so 2016 is going to plan!!
February, we look forward the nice long stretch in the evenings, the daffodils coming alive, finding sandals in the shops!! We survived another winter, OK it is still kind of winter how many storms have we had? Anyhow, I digress!
This month’s theme goes along the lines of Learning & Creating while facing your Fears.
If you read my January post I mentioned I would be speaking at a library conference, and yes I did it and it was the most amazing experience, fear really is not a nice friend to have hanging around.
Since then, I have become slightly obsessed with facing all my fears! Having said that I really want to reflect and learn from my accomplishments & create ideas from these endeavours. So to begin I have been reading Elizabeth Gilberts new book, Big Magic.
So to begin, I have been reading Elizabeth Gilberts new book, Big Magic.
With books like Gilbert’s I tend to read them with half an interest, they seem to be coated with this sugar that makes you see the world in a colourful hypnotic way. Anyhow, I really related to the way she referred to fear as being boring! She maintains fear is always going to be the friend you find annoying, the voice that will always hold you back. She asks you to consider how this is boring, how this is the same voice, saying the same things to you over and over again.
So I thoughts about my fears, and there are many. And I began to write the following…
You don’t do because you fear X and people will say Y.
You don’t believe in yourself because of X.
You don’t do because of all the excuses you have made about Y.
You don’t do because you won’t succeed with X.
That is a lot of not doing, and that not doing is useless and damn well boring. It is the same story over and over again. How have I not realised I have been creating a boring life by not doing. Just sitting around listening to the same old boring voice saying “I cannot”.
Fear makes you do little with your life, why would anyone want a little life. A life that has not been fulfilled and amazing and interesting to me. Not other people, my life, ME!
It makes sense to me to begin to face my fears and take this fear, self-doubt, anxiety whatever you want to call it, on a journey that will be the most interesting and awesome adventure. This adventure is called MY LIFE!
I hope you had an awesome February and here is to an amazing March!