Fear

Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile...initially scared me to death. -Betty Bender

I'm scared of change. I admit it. I've been accused of it. I've seen it at work in my own life. At this time, I have told one person that I've started a blog, and I haven't even told him what it's about. It was a big step for me to start this blog, and to change the anonymity, the secrecy that I have with it is difficult. I will do it today, but I started this blog two weeks ago, and today is when I am making the change in my life of exposing this blog to others.

You can try to comfort me by saying that it's a part of blogger.com and thus it's out there, but I've checked blogger.com, and I am well aware that my blog can easily be overlooked in the mass of blogs that are on that website. But I'm going to tell one e-mail list I'm on, and I'm going to tell them today. I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what they will say, of the criticisms that they will make, of the taunts that may come from them. But I'm going to do it anyway.

Is there something in your life that you'd like to do or change, but you're afraid? That's okay. In time, you'll do it anyway. But, you're going to have to change something first - your attitude. You will have to care more about making this change than about what others will say about it. You can do this. You have to, in fact, if you're going to life a life free from fear, and don't you want a life, a Future, free from fear? We all do. Fear can seem very comforting compared to change, but you can change that. Change your attitude a little at a time. Ask yourself what is the worst that could happen. And make plans to deal with it. Will someone no longer be your friend? Do you want to be friends with someone who wants to control your life so much that if you do this thing they will leave you for it? Are you afraid of the comments people will make? Would they echo the tapes in your head, the tapes that we all have that tell us what we should and shouldn't do, what kind of person we are or are not? Get rid of the tapes first, and then the comments of the others will no longer hurt you, because they will not have friends inside you, and you will have your own belief and confidence as armor around your heart from the nastiness others try to give you. Change yourself to become strong enough to make the change you want in your life, to try the thing you want to try. You are strong enough inside, there are just many things weighing you down. Change yourself, change your life. Become an example for others, and change the world. You can do this.