Monday Morning Motivation: Do You Have The Guts To Be Fearless?

Monday Morning Motivation:
Do You Have The Guts To Be Fearless?

“Fear is not your friend.” I first said that at a speech I gave a few years back; I was recently reminded of that which makes it the perfect choice for today’s Monday Morning Motivation.

I’m back on the road again, this time taping Sweet Retreats in New York City, which is actually not far from my home. I got into the city late, settled into my hotel, then went downstairs to grab a quick bite to eat.

It was a relatively slow night at the restaurant, conducive to conversation and I struck up one with a nice gentleman who is an actor/producer.

We were taking about our various projects, and I shared with him what I was doing, not just with Sweet Retreats and Exhale but also Good Enough Mother. It was getting late and I needed to get upstairs, so I thanked him for the conversation and as I turned to walk away, he said, “You seem fearless.”

Fearless.

Not really a word I would use to describe how I’ve been feeling of late.

Nope.

Not really at all.

Like a lot of people, sometimes it all gets to be a bit much. Over the last 2 weeks, I’ve had some pretty big health struggles and even bigger challenges in my personal life. I felt like a Piñata at a party; one good bat swing away from having my stuffing laid out on the ground for everyone to pick over.

But a really crazy thing happened after that conversation. I felt….

Powerful.

Could it be the stranger saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself?

So I started thinking a bit more about fear. Here are the 3 things that, through my own experience, have learned about fear and why it’s just no damn good.

FEAR AFFECTS YOUR
DECISION-MAKING

This came from a conversation Buff and I had a few years ago. Fear is a TERRIBLE place from which to make sound decisions. Think about what happens to your body when you’re afraid; sweaty palms, heart palpitations, your body steals your mind’s ability to make good and rational choices. But like shining a light in the darkness, just knowing that is half the battle. Get your mind back in control of things.. then move on. For me, that involves a stupid game called, “What’s The Worst That Can Happen?” and I construct a plan based on that. Then I work hard to let it go.

THINGS ARE ALWAYS
WORSE IN YOUR HEAD

Oh you and your active imagination! Imagination is a great thing.. if you’re a fiction writer or making horror movies, among other esteemed professions. But if you’re trying to make a go of it in the real world, you gotta keep those crazy thoughts out of your gray matter. How accurate will those decisions be if you’re tilting at windmills? Go with what you know. In other words, reality.

IT’S GOING
TO BE OKAY..
I PROMISE

Things are going to be okay.. even if they aren’t the way you planned.

Have you ever heard of The Desiderata? It’s a poem written by Max Ehrmann and one of my favorites. There are so many lines that speak to me but the one I always remember, when I’m feeling down or overwhelmed is, “ Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.” That is so true! Think about this in your own life; when do you feel the most hopeless, like your efforts are futile? At night? Yep. Me too. That’s good ol’ fatigue messing with your head.

But once you know that (and have had a good night’s sleep), you can fully accept that things are going to be okay. Not perfect, but certainly alright. Being well-rested is not just good for your body but your soul too.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Remember how I told you I felt better, more powerful, after my new friend told me I was fearless? There was power in his words, like his putting it out there made it so. If he could do that for me, why couldn’t I do that for myself?

I can.

And I will.

And you should too.

Now go forth on this Monday and conquer!