In Fear

Fear :   distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

Do you allow fear to limit you?  I have been pondering this question lately...why? Not sure, but could be directly related to this "mid-life" thing going on with me.  Coming from a eighties fitness instructor who jumped, skipped, hopped, plie'd, chasse'd her way through the the era of high impact aerobics it makes sense.  I've lived through some pretty painful overuse injuries along the way.  This may be where my moderation principles originated and where my reservations started.

Jodi and I have started an ongoing discussion on fear and how it is limiting my training and bigger "things" in my life.  She knows she is working with someone who is holding back, possibly too much out of fear, fear of re-injury or fear of hurting myself seriously enough to deter my future training. One of the worst things I could ever imagine happening is the loss of mobility.  And rightfully so, if you have been there you know, just saying.  My training and love of fitness helps me cope with the bigger things in my life. Calms me. Allows me time to reflect. Keeps me sane. All good things in the end, right?

So I am trying. Trying to live in such a way that I am open to new experiences; it is OK to be cautious, and it is natural to have a certain amount of anxiety or fear, but I cannot let fear dominate or limit my life.  One sure sign for me when I overcome fear is the feeling of exhilaration. I find myself smiling ear to ear, even laughing, when I reach beyond my self placed limits and accomplish something I feared.

Take today for example. VSP training, saving the best for last. LOL  Four sets of pull ups...6x, 8x, 10x, 12x. "Zach can I just do chin ups?", I asked.  I hear a resounding "NO".  "OK can I go over to the rack with padded bar?"  -This princess hates her hands being chewed up by the pull up handles in the weight room-  Yes that is allowed. WHEW! Off we went, let the pull ups begin. First set: great, second set: tough, third set...well the added assist helped me through all 10 reps.  Fourth set: 12 ....really? Fear entered my mind, as fellow adult athletes watched.  What if I cannot make it? Pressing through, with Zach's assist, I did them, but not without a bunch of grunts and groans. 

The feeling of accomplishment resonates from deep within, it is profound.  Realizing, that by doing something you are fearful of (in this case the fear of failure), facing it head on and overcoming it,  that this fear is not and cannot be bigger than you or your support system -Thank you Zach, Amy and MO for cheering me on- You then become the ultimate winner, for the moment. It's fun, it stokes you, it ignites a fire within you.

Discovery ~  Empowerment ~ Joy ~  Fun ~  Sheer Thrill

All these describe accomplishments, big and small. Nothing can take that moment away. You reached out beyond your self professed limits and did it.  This is what we call living life to it's fullest. And live it with out fear.

There are many wonderful things that will never be done

if you do not do them.  ~Charles D. Gill

There are and will be times in our lives that truly big things happen. The example above really only scratches the surface, a simple example of overcoming fear. Recently I went through the dreaded wait for test results to come back.  The fears that ran through my mind where constant, but I told myself again and again, I have to keep on living life to it's fullest. Every day is a blessing. All of us, when faced with larger than life fears like serious health issues or relationship challenges, know  we can overcome it.  Rely on your support systems, your inner strength, and Him to pull you through. 



Be well,