Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Susan Jeffers

What does that mean?

Some of us understand this to mean to throw away the fear and push on.  I always understood this as an opportunity to understand my fear.  Study where it comes from.  Study what makes it stronger and what weakens its hold over me and my behavior.  Classify it over other factors that motivate who I am and what I do.

In the photo above, I’m doing crow pose.  On my safe and comfy mat, it can be an easy pose for me.  It isn’t easy every day and it took a long time to get to where it can be easy.  Some days, it is super super super hard.  When my arms are tired, my neck is sore, my shoulders weak, or my lower back is tight, this is NOT easy.  When I’m on an unfamiliar surface, this is NOT easy.  This pose was NOT easy in this photo.  Microcosmically speaking, I felt the fear and did it anyway; however, I was not reckless.  I was afraid.  I acknowledged the fear. I made adjustments to the situation and did it anyway.  We all have a hierarchy of fears.  We have fears where we can make adjustments and do it anyway.  Perhaps, if we are mindful about these perceived “smaller” fears, adjustments, and courageous movements forward, we can apply that mindful movements to those fears which paralyze us.

What are your “small” fears?
What fears can you acknowledge, adjust, and courageously overcome?
What are your paralyzing fears?
What makes you fear these things?
What happens if you do it all anyway?
Did you always have these fears?
Who are you if you are afraid and do it all anyway?
What does your life look like if you feel the fear and do it all anyway?