“Living with fear stops us from taking risks, and if you don’t go out the branch, you’re never going to get the best fruits” – Sarah Parish.
I used to be really scared of trying new things - anything outside my comfort zone or different from what everyone already knew me for. I was willing and ready to try out new things but I also could not stop thinking about all the things that could happen if I did and end up failing.
That fear and thought alone has stopped me more times that I can count. I’d think about trying something - learning a new skill, going somewhere, starting a business or even posting something I wrote - and then my brain starts listing all the possible ways everything could go wrong. Before I know it, I’ve talked myself out of it.
I thought that I was actually protecting myself by being careful, meanwhile I was just afraid. And something fear does, is keep trap you in the same place. The sad part is time doesn’t stop because you’re scared or busy contemplating. Life keeps moving and everyone else keep doing what they can. Then, maybe one day, you would look back and realize you’ve been standing still - waiting for the perfect moment that never came.
It is completely normal to be afraid, everyone does. The real challenge is learning how to go through it rather than letting it get in the way of our dreams and regretting it later. I think regret hurts more than failure does. Failure only last for a moment, but regret stays for long. Making you ask yourself, “What if I had tried?”, and for years even.
I’ve come across some certain persons who gave up something they had passion for, just because they thought it was too risky. They decide to follow the safer option. Now, when they share their dreams, it only sounds like something they never had. I never want that. I would rather fail trying than have to live with years of wondering if maybe I could’ve made something happen.
And it’s not even just about big life choices sometimes. It’s also in small things like when you want to share something you’ve made up and keep deleting it, thinking it doesn’t stack up to whatever other version you think is better. Or when you have an idea, but you convince yourself nobody would care. I’ve done that a lot - watched other people do the same thing I was scared to try, and succeed. Then regret sets in, knowing the only difference between them and myself is that they tried and I didn’t.
My goal is not to be absolutely perfect. No one is.
I just try, and if I do end up failing, I know that I at least gave it a shot. So that I won’t look back one day wishing I had at least tried. Because honestly, remaining in one spot all in the name of comfort isn’t safe either.
I would at least try, even if I might end up falling on my face. I’ll heal if I do fail. But regret? That one never really goes away. People can choose to laugh if they want to, or say whatever they want, at the end of the day, I’m the one living my life, not them.
Not trying at all, is actually the real failure. You cannot get the best fruits if you decide not to leave your branch. And giving up should not be considered an option.
Thanks for reading...
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You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. :)