On my trip to the East Coast, I have been reminded that Fear really, really is the companion to our passion. Fear is always the precursor to amazing things.

So often we want (naturally) to avoid fear, to run from it or to stay stuck so that we don’t have to feel the pain and fear. I often talk about overcoming fear, but I should say that we don’t need to overcome…. so much as we need to respond, welcome and learn from it. Take fear by the hand and walk with it.

I think I have also shared that I have control issues…. (let’s just say I have issues) control is just one of them…. 🙂 but I work hard to change what I can and accept the things that I can’t. I try hard not to heap my control stuff on to others, however it does happen, just ask my hubby. So on this trip I have a plan of how things will go in my head and a change to the plans… (any plans on any day) I have to breathe deep and walk myself through it.  There have been many great moments on this trip that were serendipitous and not in the plan, but one in particular is when I got to meet my sis in a town about 20 minutes from where we were staying in Boston. I am a bit of a nervous driver in new places (again issues) So I plan my trip, I have a map of the area, I googled the location, I wrote it all out, aaaannnnd I have gps. Sheesh…. I take off following my gps and am just about there and take a wrong turn as I get into the neighborhood…. I always afraid that I will end up in the wrong area…then… get turned around and can’t find the building…. call my sis… go back around… ta dah I made it..! We decide to get breakfast and then get a foot massage (which was awesome by the way). So we have hand written directions from her daughter… on the trip to both locations…. we go in circles, we take the wrong street and are headed into the city, I end up on the wrong side of the street…in a one way…. yup…on the way home my phone dies… no gps….breathing deep…. more deep breaths…… hallelujah for my hand written directions…..and I would do it all over again…. We laughed, talked about life and connected again.

Now I know this is a simple story, but in a previous day in my life I might have missed the opportunity to see my sis… because of the fear of getting there.  This is LIFE.  What I experienced so out weighs the fear… I have stories, lessons, connection and success. I have just flexed my confidence muscles…. saying I can do this…. I DID this!  Yes there was some fear and uncertainty on my little trip, but what I got out of it was sooooo worth it.

This is the story of life….. Some of our greatest achievements have come right after the fear….. or maybe it comes during the fear while your holding fears hand. But anything…. I mean anything that’s great, always has an element of risk, we can’t escape it, and until we welcome that, we will continue to stay stuck. Fear and Passion are usually in the same sentence when we speak about our dreams and desires.

Here’s the big question,…….. are you ready to make the plans to face the fear? Do you have your map (goals,desires,passion)…. or hand written directions (knowing your strengths and weaknesses) …?? Then you know what the next step is…. start the engine and start on your journey…. take fear by the hand and go! You might go in circles….. you might start out in the wrong directions, you will have to adjust…. re route….. but with your map you will get back on the right path…. and then when you get to your destination, you will breathe deep and flex your confidence muscles and say I DID it!…. Let’s do it again! Fear is there, but not in control!

You can do it… I want for you….. to step into something new that you have longed for. I want to walk with you as you do.  You are sooo, so Loved!

Hugs,

Shawn