What would I do if I wasn't afraid? That's a question from the book Who Moved My Cheese that I have referred back to numerous times. It helped me leave a bad marriage, spend a summer in Maine, and continue to grow. It's a question that I must answer on a daily basis, as I am always faced with choices and opportunities. There is a quote in today's newspaper from Christopher Reeve: "Either you stay in the shallow end of the pool, or you go out in the ocean. Too often fear immobilizes people...perhaps they're scared of what could happen if they try, or they're afraid of what people may think. At any moment, your life can unalterably change, so there is no excuse for letting fear stand in your way."
Fear is a theme that continues to surface in my life. There are some big things I would like to do, but current reality, future financial security, and fear of failure make me afraid to try. I'd love to quit my job, write for publication, and have a second home in Maine. I've jumped off a cliff before, quitting a good job in Harlingen in order to spend the summer in Maine, and it turned out okay. I was able to move to Dallas and begin a new career, eventually bought another house, and established new roots. Was there a cost? Yes, there was definitely a financial cost as I used up my retirement account in order to make this happen. While I do not regret that decision, it does greatly impact my thoughts and concerns about the future.
Somehow, I believe that my future financial security is connected to writing. My job today is to overcome my writing fears of failure and exposing my innermost thoughts, and take the first step toward writing practice and success.
Continuing to write this blog is my commitment to writing. It must be a daily practice in order to be effective, in order to establish my belief in myself and my abilities. The blog helps me figure out what I want to say, and it helps me establish my voice. It is my writing lifeline. Thank you for this venue to learn and grow.
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