English modesty is a wonderful thing, though occasionally, for us humble Brits, this exact characteristic can become our downfall. With the fear of the unknown taking over and therefore life and routine allowing mediocre contentment into our lives, we frequently ignore the possibilities that life pitches to us when anticipating the outcome. As a result of this, we are equally guilty of ‘leaving the fearless stuff to the fearless people’, and so positively permit ourselves to wean our way out of uncomfortable situations that ironically hold the potential to achieve a wonderful outcome. Well not any longer, as we’ve come to demystify these vague assumptions and deliver to you the permission to take on anything you’ve ever dreamt of, this week!
Just Say Yes
We carry this presumption that a person who portrays a fearless exterior has absolutely no fears, however as it turns out, this is in fact, the complete opposite. Using recently televised challenge, ‘The Island with Bear Grylls’ as an example, for those of you unaware of what it entails, to be brief, it requires two separate groups of 14 ordinary women and men to live on a remote island with only the bare necessities (yes, we just sang that too…) and survive for 6 weeks. Enduring moments of deep-rooted pain alongside wholehearted joy (not to mention the extreme hunger, which we could totally not deal with!), allowed the once unquestionably uneasy applicants to experience a level of fear reaching far and beyond any expectations they could have hypothesized. Subsequently, upon the arrival of their transport home, the adaptation to the island they had acquired had become their new normal, which in turn, came with a realm of mixed emotions with regards to leaving what they briefly called home. The point, I suppose, we are aiming to make from this is that through listening to their courageous, adventurous side, they said yes to something undoubtedly life-changing. One click of a button leading them through a brief application, brought them to a challenge which surpassed their initial fears, allowing them to fully immerse themselves into becoming spiritually, emotionally, and physically rejuvenated because of it.
Let Go
So we’ve established that some results of utter fearlessness turn out to be extremely life changing, but how exactly can we implement this idea into our daily lives? When initially aiming to make this happen, the first thing to put into action is to simply let go. Relieve yourself of the fears you hold, as they will do absolutely nothing for boosting your sense of empowerment, and detach yourself from what may occur by simply focusing on the present moment. Oh and we’ll let you in on a little secret, 80% of your fears actually never happen, as more often than not, it’s all in the mind!
Write Down Your Fears to Set Them Free
In addition to this, an excellent way of acknowledging your triggers is by jotting them down; let the paper know just how a certain possibility causes you to feel, sit with it, recognise it, and quietly let it go. Another fantastic way of dealing with fear is by asking yourself what the worse outcome could possibly be; will that extra dollop of hummus really make a huge bodily difference? – No! Perhaps the idea that people will judge you for quitting your job to pursue your dream terrifies you beyond belief? Or even going for that run you’ve always wanted to go on but you’re afraid of going too far and having to do the ride of shame home on the bus because you’ve run out of running fuel. Trust us on this one, there is no shame in it whatsoever – you took that step towards conquering an underlying anxiety, you were fearless, and that’s all that matters!
Be Fearless
Adopting a fearless approach towards your daily life occurrences is ultimately going to build the foundation for a knock-on effect of opening yourself up to an abundance of opportunities, however it’s what we do with these windows that will really elevate us to our next level of fearlessness. The next time a friend suggests arranging a group to take part in a 10K charity race, or perhaps to go on your first ever blind date, we say, if you’re apprehensive, do it. This tiny step of simply saying yes holds the potential to lead you to a fantastic experience and a memory to share. And you never know ladies, it could possibly, probably not, but you never know (eh eh), be Brad Pitt waiting for you in the window seat of Café Rouge.
Trust Your Instinct
Another approach when tackling the unknown is to merely listen to your instinct. If you long to travel more but are afraid of the uncertainty that comes with it, you probably, deep down, want to. When pursuing dreams perfectly within your horizon, you will inevitably form a snowball effect of creating goals and pursuing them, and with each task you set, your life will undoubtedly be one of a rich inspiration to others around you and more importantly, yourself. No longer will the unknown petrify you, as it will ultimately motivate you to seek out the feeling of fear which initially allowed you to take that first step towards unleashing the life of your dreams, one which results in a constantly renewed sense of purpose and fulfilment.
Just Do It
So it has to be said that conclusively, to be fearless is not a taboo we should shy away from. Have faith in your instincts, and follow the adrenalin-craving, perfectly pounding organ we associate with lurrv, which will ultimately lead you to a life of accomplishment, self-worth and happiness, and not to mention a fantastic array of stories to inspire others to follow in your footsteps. So to allow yourself to ‘just do it’ (thanks for that one, Nike), we’ll leave you with the words of a true fearless inspiration, Nelson Mandela, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”
words by Jodie Corcoran