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What would you do if you weren’t afraid? It is such an apt question to ask as we come to the close of the year. For some reason though, I have never answered this question out loud, settling instead for knowing that they are somewhere in the recesses of my mind. But there is a reason why psychologists recommend for either declaring the things we are most afraid of out loud or writing them down.
The act of making proclamations whether out loud or in writing means that we can no longer escape from the fact that we are allowing fear to hold us back. A survey that was conducted a few years ago asking women this question had answers ranging from running for political office to speaking up and being honest with their opinions and everything in between.
In the book ‘The Third Metric’ by Arianna Huffington, readers are urged to continuously think about their third measure of success, beyond money and power. For one reader, the willingness to embrace discomfort goes to the difference of having dreams versus truly living them.
More action, less talking
So, before the year ends I have a dare for you. And one in which I will participate in too, all the way this time. What would you do if you were not afraid? I have heard it said that fear and anxiety are all in our heads and that there’s nothing on the other side of that door.
That most of the worst case scenarios we imagine never happen anyway. The mere act of putting it out there and having your list in a place where you can look at it often has a positive psychological effect.
Extend it past your career
Leaving our comfort zones are often preached in relation to our careers. But it does not have to be restricted to that realm. Expand your answers into your personal and social life and you will start to see the possibilities of feeling and acting in a way that validates your best self.
In taking the risk of failing in a new venture or looking foolish, people learn much more than they ever could have if they had stayed where they were most comfortable.
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