What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?
It’s not so much about things I’m scared to do, and frankly I don’t want to do a lot of the things that scare me, like skiing. If it doesn’t scare me, I’ll pretty much just do it.
I’m in this camp:
Franklin Roosevelt’s first Inaugural Address
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
As a sufferer from acute anxiety for many years I understand this.
So the thing that I’ve done is work with my anxiety to bring it to normal levels, only getting anxious if there is a reason.
If you need advice on that I can share a few ideas.
It was something I needed to do, but what prompted me to action was other people seeing a person that wasn’t me.
I may have been anxious but I could stand on a stage and talk for an hour off the cuff. I have won speaking competitions.
I say this because about 15 years ago they did a study in America asking about people’s biggest fear. Death came second, public speaking came first.
People saw only the anxiety, not the fact that an anxious person could speak in public, from a stage. Not the strength that took.
They didn’t see the person who got up for work everyday even though getting out of bed was a struggle. They knew I had a fantastic sense of humour, but commented on the anxiety.
The worst part of it was that I felt like I’d being taken over by aliens. By some being I didn’t know. I needed myself back, so I went and found her, healed her, and I continue to develop her with a focus on kindness.
If you really want to understand how much stronger I am, it lies in that word: kindness.
Nothing will get you laughed at more than saying you believe in kindness, inclusion, and world peace. I don’t care, people can laugh if they want, I’m more curious as to why they don’t believe. I can’t make sense of them either.
So that was the battle.
If I want to do something I will, but I’m not extreme in any way, so there will be no death defying plunges down mountains on partly thawed ice, standing on two sticks of wood. I don’t even know why I’d want to do that.
Big love
Deb xx
Deb Hawken - Amorah 