"Who were you before
you learned to be afraid?"
-- Alan Cohen
When I was about 5 years old, my mother had me take tap dance lessons. I had these black patent leather-like tap shoes and I practiced in the kitchen. We had a recital and my mother tied a green ribbon on one foot and a red one on the other. She was like that. She grew up on a farm in Iowa and she found ways to get attention like wearing two different socks and such. Since it worked for her, she was doing it for me. I'm sure she meant well, but it was devastating to me.
When my turn came at the recital, I mustered the courage to actually stand up there, but could not muster the courage to dance. I never tap danced again. I ran out in embarrassment.
I've had other such failed endeavors throughout my life and most often, it is all about fear in some way or another. So, I thought Alan Cohen's question was so darn good to consider. Who was I before I learned to be afraid?
As I reflect on that question now, I find more power than I had before. I used to espouse that whenever you feel fear, to ask yourself two questions. One, what are you really afraid of? Good question. Two, what is the worst thing that could happen? Another good one meant to make little of the fear and bring it into a good reality.
But, now I have a better question: Who were you before you learned to be afraid?
The Answer Is You Were Fearless!
Spread Some Joy Today--Fear-less.
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