Fear is an emotion induced by a threat perceived by living entities, which causes a change in brain and organ function and ultimately a change in behavior, such as running away, hiding or freezing from traumatic events. ~ Wikipedia

Maybe you’re afraid that people laugh behind your back when you say you’re a writer, or you fear the rejection that comes when, well hell… your writing is rejected. Your fear could be that, while the entire world thinks you’re awesome, somebody is going to uncover the fact that you’re an imperfect, fallible human being, so you can’t be awesome you must be a poser. Maybe your husband (who has his own gut to worry about) doesn’t find you as attractive or lovable since you’ve gained ten pounds, or fifty. Maybe you’re afraid that you just won’t live long enough to realize your biggest dream.

Everything you want is on the other side of fear. ~ Jack Canfield

Pick your poison. You can scare the hell out of yourself to keep your mouth shut about who you really are, and never send that work of art in for consideration, and keep killing yourself for the perception of perfection, and hide under clothes and blankets and “not tonight honey”, and waste your life wishing…

Or…

Fear is the brain’s way of saying that there is something important for you to overcome. ~ Rachel Huber

You can say fuck you to your spineless, sniveling, 1% self, and take the other 99% of you to do the deeds. You state who you are with no apologies, scared be damned. When’s the last time someone paid you $20 for writing a few words…yeah, that’s what I thought. You strut through your life in your imperfectly portrayed awesomeness, and you love your husband (and his little gut) and assume he loves you in the same way. You keep pounding the keys, chasing that dream, throwing yourself out there, because when you do die, they’ll say…

That chick was fucking courageous.

You want to scare the life into yourself? You just re-read that first paragraph and ask yourself if that’s what you want to be said about you when you do actually die, in the quiet little corner you’ve stuffed yourself into. Your other option is to live your life like there is no tomorrow, because there may not be a tomorrow. You speak your truth, write your words, love your man (or woman), and live large and in charge baby.

The meaning I picked, the one that changed my life: Overcome fear, behold wonder. ~ Richard Bach

Be wonder-full. Be alive. Be the truth of you. Be love. Be afraid and tell the Universe you’re living in full blown living color.

I’ll see you on the other side of fear…be afraid, and do it all anyway.