My sister has been a displaced and unemployed autoworker for several years. Recently, she decided to take charge of her life and go back to school to pursue a certificate in a completely different field. I applaud her efforts, because I understand how difficult it must be for her. After all, it's been thirty years since she's graced the inside of a classroom.
As we talked about her future and what this decision would truly mean, it became clear to me that she was really worried about this new life and afraid of stepping into a new arena. I tend to be very direct and honest. Being me, I came right out and told her that she was afraid and added that it's fine to be worried. I went on to tell her, there were ways to work around her concerns by acknowledging them, examining them, and finally moving past them. I cautioned her against allowing the voice of fear to control and make decisions for her. After offering advice on ways to approach going back to school, courses to take to prepare her for this new venture, including making the most of her local library, my sister now possessed the ammunition to help her tackle the future with renewed enthusiasm.
Once we were done talking, I sat back and thought about how fear has the power to influence our lives. Like all emotions, fear has a unique and important role to play. It keeps us safe, alert, and cautious. Unfortunately, there's a down side to this emotion. Sometimes it paralyzes us and keeps us from our goals. It makes us question our abilities, who we are, and what we can accomplish. The spirit of fear has destroyed many an aspiration and promising career.
My sister's dilemma made me think about writing and how easy it would be to allow my fears to keep me from doing something I truly enjoy. Like a mist that moves in and showers everything in its path, fear has the ability to seep into each and every part of our life and take over. My philosophy - fight it. Don't allow one emotion to win and keep you from the things that you desire or from living the best possible life. We all deserve a good, fulfilling, and rewarding life.
Whether your gift is writing, music, or simply going back to school after a long hiatus, don't allow fear to control and destroy your future. Step up, take charge, and embrace the life you worked for and continue to do what makes you happy. Keep this thought in mind, you only have one life and you owe it to yourself to give it your best.
I always love to hear from writers and readers. Feel free to contact me on this topic and any other. You can reach me at karenwhiteowens@yahoo.com.
Remember, don't be a stranger.
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1 comment:
I don't fight the fear because I think that takes too much energy. Instead I just accept the fear and ignore it (something I learned from years of yoga).
When fear does interfere with my writing, I remind myself of all the things I've been through—surgeries, floods, hurricanes—that were much scarier than typing in my office.
That's one of the advantages of being an older writer, I think. It gives me a better perspective on many things, including the fear of writing.
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