“I feel very adventurous. There are so many doors to be opened, & I’m not afraid to look behind them.” ― Elizabeth Taylor

Courage. Without it nothing is possible. With it everything is possible. Things you can’t even yet imagine. I know this to be true because it’s true in my own life. I used, many moons ago, to be terrified of pretty much everything: speaking to strangers, being noticed, the blank page, travelling anywhere, sharks – bit of a strange on that, since on an average day the nearest shark is probably at least a few thousand miles away, but there you have it. Today, I wouldn’t actually seek a shark out, but I’m not scared of much anymore, just the things that might actually kill me The point is that being afraid leads to shrunken life, bleached of colour & joy. The way to overcome fears is practice. Do the things you think you can’t do. Start small. You’ll soon be shocked at how brave you become…

Pic: the door to my favourite Venetian stationery shop