The Benefit of Fear to Cultivate Courage in Modern Life

You are standing on the precipice of your dreams; your heart is filled with wild anticipation and paralyzing apprehension. Think about your deepest desire…the thing you long for most…yet it seems to elude you. You want it; you may even know how to achieve it, but something is keeping you from it. You take a step forward and then fifty steps in the other direction. Every time you get close and your desire is within your grasp…you pull your hand away. Oh, but you want it so badly, and it is right there. Why can’t you just reach out and take it? You ask yourself over and over, what the hell is holding me back? 

The answer, my love, is fear. There is a fear in you that is greater than your desire. This fear can be rooted in so many things. Believe it or not, it could be the fear of the joy you will have once you finally reach out and take what is yours. This is where the story of transformation begins because you can use the benefit of fear to go beyond the limitations it puts on you. Just like the phoenix, destined to rise from its own ashes, so too can you emerge from the depths of fear, embracing your rebirth with wings of courage.

Understanding Fear

Let’s shed some light on our ever-so-human nemesis: Fear. Fear’s got a noble gig, trying to keep us from harm’s way, but it also moonlights as the bouncer at the door to your wildest dreams. Unfortunately, fear doesn’t differentiate between harm’s way and exploring new things. Understanding fear is the key to stepping into the spotlight of your own life.

Fear, as a primal and practical instinct, has been woven into the tapestry of human survival for eons. It’s the guardian that alerted our ancestors to lurking predators, ensuring their physical safety and the continuation of their lineage. This practical fear steers us away from immediate danger, an innate response essential for navigating a world fraught with uncertainties. For this reason, fear is beneficial when it comes to genuinely protecting you from harm.

Yet, in modern life, another thread of fear has been sewn – one that limits our potential. This fear casts a shadow over the prospect of new adventures, whispering tales of inadequacy and failure. It erects walls that barricade us within our comfort zones, shielding us from the exhilarating unknown. You see, fear keeps you in the known because it has determined that is where safety resides for EVERYTHING! However, just because something is new or different doesn’t mean it is harmful…fear just doesn’t know that on its own. So we have to help it out a bit. We have to be discerning and self-aware if the instinct of fear is helpful or harmful to us.

To step beyond this threshold of limitation is to redefine fear’s role in your life, to acknowledge its presence while refusing to let it govern your choices. It is this duality of fear – the ancient guardian and the modern restrictor – you must untangle and explore, carving a path to embrace courage, expand your horizons, and sculpt your own narratives of possibility.

To begin to rise into this new world, it is essential to recognize some of the ways that fear limits your potential– a daily routine that numbs your spirit, a cocoon of comfort that stifles your growth, constant comparison of yourself to others, the lump in your throat that makes you feel that others will judge you. Fear clings to the familiar, so it whispers tales of inadequacy and caution. It’s time to break free from these shackles and soar beyond the boundaries of what you thought possible.

If you want to rise and move past the fear that keeps you stuck, you must embrace the power of courage, recognize that fear is simply a catalyst, cultivate your courage, and embrace vulnerability. 

The Power of Courage

How is courage powerful, you may ask? Or maybe you won’t ask because you know that courage is power, but what the hell does it have to do with fear? The act of courage is the ability to take action despite fear. Courage stops you from being paralyzed, from taking steps backward, and from pulling your hand away from what is in reach.

This powerful act is the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, face uncertainty, and embrace growth. Courage empowers you to pursue your passions, overcome challenges, and live life on your own terms. The power of courage pulls you out of the boxes you have been placed in and allows you to break free.

See your courage strutting onto the stage, spotlight blazing. It’s the audacious sibling of fear, daring you to take that leap, speak your mind, or chase those dreams. With courage by your side, you’re not just in the audience but rocking the main stage of your life’s concert. It’s the defiant spirit that says, “I see you, fear, and I raise you courage!”

Recognizing Fear as a Catalyst

Fear can be an oxymoron. It can keep you stuck or be the key to moving you forward, or you can decide that fear is the catalyst for growth and transformation. Instead of letting fear paralyze you, you can choose to see it as an opportunity for self-discovery and personal development. Fear can be the indicator you need to go beyond what you are. Understanding fear gives you the compass to the unknown. As you move toward your desires and fear comes knocking, that is your cue that you’re on the right course. Fear will want you to turn around; instead, thank fear for alerting you that you are stretching out into new horizons. 

You can honor fear for its purpose to protect you from harm and still use it to step into your greatness. Here is an affirmation I like to tell myself when fear comes, “Fear, I thank you for wanting to keep me safe. I honor you for looking out for me. You have built up knowledge over my life that keeps me from harm. I understand you are scared now because I am trying to take us to the unknown. The unknown is scary, but I promise you what is on the other side is worth us being uncomfortable for a bit. I trust that you will see there is nothing to be scared of; we just need to move toward this new possibility.” When you face your fears with courage, you expand your comfort zones and open yourself up to new possibilities.

It’s time for a mind-flip, my fellow champions of the heart! Fear, oh yes, fear can be a tool for self-reinvention. It’s like that unexpected plot twist in a gripping novel – unsettling at first, but it propels the story to unimaginable heights. Embrace fear as the key indicator that alerts you to the fact that you are unlocking your untapped potential.

Cultivating Courage

Take a sigh of relief; you have the knowledge of the power of courage and how fear can be a catalyst for continuing on your path to greatness. The next thing you need to do is cultivate courage, which requires practice and mindset shifts—cultivating means building something up. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t go from a state of fear to a state of unwavering courage overnight. Enjoy the process. I think of my own children and how they approached a state of doing new things. When they were learning to crawl, walk, run, skip, and jump, they didn’t get frustrated because they thought it was going to take FOREVER to get to the jumping. They enjoyed each part of the process to get there. 

Crawling was cool and made them giggle. Walking was adventurous because they could finally get into everything in the house. Running was exhilarating as they learned the art of having me chase them like a crazy person outside. Skipping was surely just a way to express joy and happiness outwardly. Jumping…let me tell you, they kept trying to see how much higher they could go. At no point in this journey did they look so far ahead at the next milestone that they did not enjoy the one they were in. Not once did they say, ugh…why can’t I jump already, geesh, I suck. I quit. They practiced and flourished. 

As children, we don’t need mindset shifts, just practice. As adults…lord, we need to fix our brains up a bit. We need to relearn the art of cultivating that which we desire. My grandson sure wanted to run. It was evident from the moment he entered this world. His feet were always going even when he could move, nothing else, and he was just lying there. He didn’t just run, though…he did all the things! Then one day, when he was over visiting, he zoomed from the kitchen, through the living room, all the way to the front door. As he passed me by, he gleefully said, “I’m fast!” with a huge grin and a giggle that would melt your heart.

Courage in Action

When cultivating your courage to move beyond fear, you must go with the flow. Take it one day at a time, don’t skip any steps, and enjoy the process. That is the shift of mindset. Start by weeding out those nagging doubts and nurturing your mental soil with positivity and possibility. Surround yourself with a tribe of fierce supporters who’ll cheer you on through every audacious step you take. Courage starts small and blossoms. 

Real talk, when I started public speaking, one of my best friends practiced with me at her house. Then she stood as I presented and clicked my PowerPoint as I went. It was nice knowing she was near, but she let me do all the talking. I spoke to my peers first within a small setting. Then I grew to talk to people who had titles much higher than mine, but I wasn’t intimidated anymore. As a person, I initially saw myself as a scared little girl who would never speak outside my friends.

How did that girl speak in front of every news channel in my area at once and then give one-on-one interviews? Because I cultivated a possibility that I desired. The public speaking wasn’t the desire, the desire was to share something that ignited my soul, and the platform was getting up in front of groups of people who wanted to know more. I know people say it all the time, but I promise if I can cultivate courage, so can you. The last piece of this puzzle is vulnerability.

Embracing Vulnerability

Courage requires vulnerability. That means you, vulnerable and raw, standing in a spotlight that reveals your imperfections like intricate brushstrokes on a masterpiece. Vulnerability is the artist’s signature on your canvas of courage. It’s the portal through which you connect with others on a profound, soul-deep level. So, shed that armor, aka fear, and let your true self dazzle.

In a world where you are guided to be, do, and sound like everyone else, choose to say screw that and shine as yourself! Without vulnerability, courage cannot thrive. Societal expectations, comparison to others, and the stupid voice that says people will judge you all keep you stuck. To rise and ignite the phoenix within, you must be vulnerable in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

Do you think when the phoenix rises, it hangs out in the ashes, wondering if its feathers are long enough, or full enough, or glisten the most, or match the other phoenixes that came before it? Do you think it bothers to consider how its song will sound or beak looks? No, it does none of that. Do you think it questions if the sky will welcome it as it makes its ascent? No. The phoenix just rises in all its magnificence and unique glory. Period.

Embracing vulnerability means not second-guessing the fact that you are magnificent. I am certain that some people were really happy that the phoenix seemed to be vanquished and was a pile of ashes. We call those people haters. You can’t just let them look down on your pile with delight. No, you have to rise in spite of what others may think because, outside that small little group of not-very-nice people, there are villages and towns that will marvel as you soar above. You will leave them in awe of your ability. You rise for yourself against the ones that would keep you down and inspire others to embrace their authenticity. 

Inspired Action

Courage above fear is the magic of the phoenix within you rising. You may have started today feeling like ash on the ground, but now you know that there is power in courage, fear is a catalyst, you can cultivate your courage, and vulnerability is ferociously embracing your authentic self. 

Are you ready to take this knowledge and launch it into inspired action…because we take action here. Not busy work that just wastes time but action that is inspired to transform your life through the inferno of self-discovery. 

Take a breath, calm your mind, and repeat to yourself: Embracing fear as a catalyst for growth and transformation can empower me to rise above limitations and tap into my inner courage, unlocking a world of possibilities.

Actionable Step:

Your inspired action is to identify one fear that has been holding you back. This can be in any area…relationships, finances, new adventures, your profession, self-care, your spirituality. Fear can come in any area of life. For today, choose one thing.

• How long have you had this fear, and why do you think it is showing up in your life? 
• Write down three positive ways in which confronting this fear could lead to personal growth or positive change in your life. 
• Challenge yourself to take a small action today that moves you closer to facing this fear. Make a note of the action you will take, tell a friend, and journal it down…this allows you to seek accountability for your action. 
• If you can think of ways to build on this action, note those as well. Remember, every step you take is a stride toward your own empowerment.

By being honest with yourself about your fears and taking immediate action, you will be well on your way to starting your journey toward a life marked by courage, growth, and transformation.

Until Next Time

Before we part ways, let’s embark on a vivid imagination exercise to encourage you. Close your eyes and envision your future using all your senses. See yourself standing tall, your gaze unwavering, your heart a symphony of empowerment. Picture the phoenix within you, its fiery wings lifting you above doubt, its radiant feathers a testament to your unyielding courage. This is the landscape of your future, where fear is but a distant memory, and the brilliance of your potential blazes across the sky.

You are the phoenix, and fear is the very fire that propels you to your highest peaks.

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