Hello beautiful people, today we're going to look into the word known as fear and how I overcame mine.
The questions I'm exploring today feel like opening a door I've kept carefully locked: What scares me most? How has fear shaped my choices? What have I done despite being afraid? These aren't just questions about anxiety - they're invitations to understand how fear has been both my greatest obstacle and my most persistent teacher, showing me where my growth edges lie and what matters most to me.
What strikes me most about this tenth day is how it reveals fear as a compass.
By exploring what frightens me and how I've learned to work with it, I'm not just cataloging anxieties - I'm discovering that my biggest fears often point toward my biggest opportunities for growth. It's like looking at my trembling hands and saying "These shake because I'm about to do something that matters."
Dear Courageous Me,
What fears have held me back, and which ones still do?
The fear that has held me back most is the fear of not being enough - not smart enough, not talented enough, not worthy enough. This fear kept me from applying for opportunities I wanted, from sharing my creative work, from speaking up when I had something valuable to contribute. It whispered that it was safer to stay small than risk being exposed as inadequate.
Fear of disappointing others has shaped so many of my decisions. I've said yes when I meant no, taken on responsibilities I wasn't passionate about, and stayed in situations that weren't right for me because I couldn't bear the thought of letting someone down.
The fear that still challenges me most is the fear of my own power. I'm more afraid of succeeding, of being seen, of taking up space, than I am of failing quietly. There's a part of me that's terrified of what might happen if I fully stepped into my capabilities, if I stopped playing small, if I owned my voice and used it boldly.
How has my relationship with fear changed over time?
In my younger years, I treated fear like an enemy to be conquered or ignored. I thought courage meant the absence of fear, so I spent enormous energy trying to eliminate it or pretend it didn't exist. This approach was exhausting and largely ineffective.
Now, I'm learning to see fear as information rather than instruction. When I feel afraid, instead of automatically retreating, I pause and ask: "What is this fear trying to tell me? What does it want to protect?" Sometimes the fear is alerting me to genuine danger.
Other times, it's an old pattern trying to keep me safe and small.
I've discovered that fear often shows up most intensely when I'm about to do something that matters to me. It's become almost a compass pointing toward growth. The things that scare me most are often the things I most need to do.
What have I done despite being afraid?
I've had difficult conversations with people I love, even when I was terrified of conflict or rejection.
These conversations deepened our relationships in ways I never expected.
I've shared creative work that felt vulnerable and personal, despite the fear of criticism or indifference. The connections that resulted were worth every moment of anxiety.
I've made career changes that felt uncertain and risky, leaving the security of the known for the possibility of something more aligned with who I was becoming.
I've ended relationships that weren't serving either of us, even when I was afraid of being alone or hurting someone I cared about.
Each time I've acted despite fear, I've learned that the anticipation was usually worse than the reality. Even when things didn't go as planned, I survived. More than that, I grew.
What fear would I most like to overcome?
The fear I most want to overcome is the fear of taking up space. This fear keeps me editing myself, dimming my light, playing smaller than I am. It's the fear that's cost me the most opportunities for growth and impact.
I want to overcome the fear of being "too much" - too passionate, too opinionated, too visible. I want to stop shrinking myself to make others comfortable and start trusting that my full presence is a gift, not a burden.
How do I find courage when I'm scared?
I've learned that courage isn't a feeling - it's a choice. I don't wait to feel brave; I act while afraid. I connect with my why. When I remember why something matters to me, fear doesn't disappear but it becomes bearable. Purpose is stronger than fear.
I break big fears into small steps. I don't have to be brave for the whole journey, just for the next ten minutes. I talk to my fear like a friend: "I see you, fear. I know you're trying to protect me. Thank you for caring. I'm going to do this anyway."
I remember past evidence - all the times I've been afraid and done something anyway. Each experience becomes proof that I can handle more than I think.
What would I do if fear wasn't a factor?
If fear wasn't a factor, I would write that book I've been carrying in my heart. I would start that business idea I keep talking myself out of. I would travel to places that seem too adventurous, too uncertain.
I would have more honest conversations - telling people how much they mean to me, addressing issues before they become problems, asking for what I need.
I would take up more space in rooms where I belong.
I would speak up more, share ideas more freely, trust that my perspective has value.
I would create more art, more writing, more things that come from my soul rather than my strategic mind.
I am afraid of being vulnerable, of showing people who I really am beneath the carefully constructed persona, but I do it anyway because connection requires truth. I am afraid of being judged or misunderstood, but I do it anyway because the alternative - living behind a mask - is a kind of death. I am afraid of disappointing people, but I do it anyway because I've learned that trying to be everything to everyone means being nothing to myself.
Fear has taught me that I'm braver than I think. It has taught me that most of the things I worry about never happen, and when they do, I'm more resilient than I imagined.
Fear has taught me to pay attention to what matters most - it rarely shows up around trivial things. Most importantly, fear has taught me that growth lives on the other side of comfort, and that the life I want is waiting for me to be willing to be uncomfortable.
I find courage by remembering that I'm part of something bigger than myself. I find courage by thinking about the woman I want to become and the legacy I want to leave. I find courage by breathing deeply and taking one small step, then another. I find courage by accepting that fear can come along for the ride, but it doesn't get to drive.
What surprised me about reflecting on my fears?
How much courage I actually have and how many times I've already faced my fears and won. I was surprised by the clarity with which I could see fear as a teacher rather than an enemy.
Reflecting on my fears helped me understand that courage isn't the absence of fear - it's fear walking forward anyway. I was surprised by how much lighter I felt after acknowledging my fears honestly and recognizing all the ways I've already been brave.
This is my afraid story - a celebration of the courage I carry and the beautiful ways I've learned to dance with fear instead of being paralyzed by it.
Learning to befriend fear rather than be controlled by it has been one of the most liberating shifts in my life. When I stop fighting fear and start listening to it, I discover it's usually trying to protect something I value.
When I can thank fear for its protective intent while still choosing to act, something magical happens. Fear transforms from an enemy into an ally.
I'm learning that courage isn't the absence of fear - it's fear walking forward anyway. It's making friends with uncertainty, trusting my ability to handle whatever comes, and remembering that on the other side of fear is usually exactly what I've been looking for.
Today, I choose to be afraid and do it anyway. I choose to let fear inform me without letting it control me. I choose to remember that every single thing I've ever been proud of happened because I was willing to be uncomfortable, uncertain, and yes, afraid.
The question isn't whether I'll feel fear - I will. The question is whether I'll let it stop me or whether I'll invite it along for the adventure.
With fearless courage,
I am not fearless - I am fear-full and brave anyway. Yes it's from your handsome friend johnpetra!!
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