Great article, Cali. Years ago, I read a book by Susan Jeffers called Feel the Fear And Do It Anyway. For me it was life changing and I adopted that title as a kind of life motto. It's getting me through these anxious first months of becoming a "real" writer.
Boy do I know the fear. I think it comes with vulnerability and intimacy. In my paying job, neither of those things apply (I'm an expert at what I do and it's not personal). I love this reframe: "Although we tend to think of our inner gremlin as negative, the fact that it begins to act up is positive."
Also, when a professional athlete has sore muscles, they do adjust their training. They learn (fast usually) not to just push through the pain. I think sometimes it's the same here. Sometimes your psyche is protecting you from something and it's good to go gently into that dark forest - but still go. I've been using an app called "unwinding anxiety" for about 9 months now and he always says "direction is more important than speed". Keep going, even if it's very slowly.
This is great. I can relate to pretty much all those definitions of fear. "This is fear." What would it be like to live today without fear? Let's go and find out. :)
Great article, Cali. Years ago, I read a book by Susan Jeffers called Feel the Fear And Do It Anyway. For me it was life changing and I adopted that title as a kind of life motto. It's getting me through these anxious first months of becoming a "real" writer.
Boy do I know the fear. I think it comes with vulnerability and intimacy. In my paying job, neither of those things apply (I'm an expert at what I do and it's not personal). I love this reframe: "Although we tend to think of our inner gremlin as negative, the fact that it begins to act up is positive."
Also, when a professional athlete has sore muscles, they do adjust their training. They learn (fast usually) not to just push through the pain. I think sometimes it's the same here. Sometimes your psyche is protecting you from something and it's good to go gently into that dark forest - but still go. I've been using an app called "unwinding anxiety" for about 9 months now and he always says "direction is more important than speed". Keep going, even if it's very slowly.
Great post, Cali. I struggle with fear and self doubt a lot as a first time author.
There’s a line from my book that I turn to again and again when fear starts getting the better of me :
“Bravery isn’t the absence of fear. It’s being terrified and facing what scares you head-on.
Because on the other side of fear is hope, is love.”
This is great. I can relate to pretty much all those definitions of fear. "This is fear." What would it be like to live today without fear? Let's go and find out. :)