What’s Wrong with Facing my Fears?

I had a recent conversation with someone who felt it was “silly to do something that scares you just to prove a point to yourself”. Unfortunately I couldn’t get this person to understand that facing your fears is so much more than proving a point.

I have a fear of heights, public speaking, clowns, horses and I’m claustrophobic. For years I used these fears as an excuse to hold myself back. Overtime I realized that facing my fears and doing something that makes me uncomfortable actually helps me to grow. I hiked to Devil’s Bridge in Sedona to face my fear of heights, I took a helicopter ride in Orlando to face my fear of heights and my phobia of enclosed spaces, and I rode a horse at a resort in Mexico to face my fear of the animal. When my children were little I took them to the circus numerous times and dealt with the uncomfortable feeling of being surrounded by clowns. Public speaking is my biggest fear and one that I am still working on conquering.

Living with fear isn’t being careful or cautious, it’s actually a stifled way of existing. If we allow the things that scare us to control us then we’re not really living. I decided to take control of my life by facing my fears, and controlling my emotions whenever I’m in an uncomfortable situation. Conquering fears shows emotional growth and gives you power that will ultimately lead to success in all aspects of your life.

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.”

– Marie Curie