The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Fearlessness doesn’t equate courage– utter fearlessness can be a sign of immaturity or even a mental disorder. Courage is facing your fears. If you let yourself be ruled by fear, you become weak and vulnerable and that can lead to a miserable life and even depression.
Throughout my life I’ve overcome several common and extremely inconvenient fears: fear of public speaking, fear of flying, fear of heights, fear of failure and – after a near fatal car accident – of driving. There may be more, but those are the ones that come to mind.
The most effective way of overcoming a fear is to acknowledge it and face it head on. I overcame my fear of driving by getting back behind the wheel over and over, the fear of public speaking by accepting interviews and giving presentations.
I conquered my fear of flying by flying! Long before the tragedy of September 11, I asked to visit the cabin of a commercial plane, and when I saw the pilots weren´t pulling out their hair in a panic, I relaxed!
And of course, when I became a mom, knowing that my kids are always watching made me enjoy every flight with them and take it just like they do: as an adventure.
What fears have you overcome?
What fears would you like to conquer and what are you willing to do to face them?
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