Comments on: Saddle Up Anyway

By: Lucrecia

Lucrecia — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:58:20 +0000

Wow - I’ve been giving Mark Twain’s advice for years and didn’t even realize it! Of course - its easy for me to give that advice and mean it! About someone else. When it comes to me I get too caught up in the negative ‘what ifs’. I like to stay in the comfort of what I know, even if its not what I really want. How dumb is that??

By: Zandria

Zandria — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:29:05 +0000

You’re right on, as usual! Just because we KNOW we shouldn’t feel fear, doesn’t mean we can actually act without first knowing the “how.” I find that education is a big help for me. If I haven’t had my questions answered, there’s no way I’m going to make a big leap of faith.

By: auntie

auntie — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:04:50 +0000

A couple of things come to mind…I’m not sure where I found this quote (it may have been on your blog, for all I know!) but I have it posted in my cubicle at work where I see it every 5 seconds all day long.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” - Mark Twain

Also, there’s a book by Susan Jeffers called “Feel The Fear…And Do It Anyway” about (you guessed it!) how to conquer your fears. My therapist recommended it to help me start dating again a few years ago after a really painful breakup. It’s a pretty straightforward approach with practical ways to work your way through fear and anxiety. I’d highly recommend it.

I think the steps you’ve outlined are a great way to get going in the right direction…the only thing I would add is to set a deadline for yourself - something that is the absolute, final, make-or-break date for you to take that big step…because we can all analyze things to death to help overcome our fears, but it’s all worthless if we never jump!

Do it, girl!!

By: Nadine

Nadine — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:50:53 +0000

Thanks for the honesty. I know exactly what you mean.

I’m finally starting to find freelancing writing work, but find myself gripped with fear when I get the very assignments I want. It’s scary to embark on something new and unknown. And I don’t yet know if I have what it takes. But it’s more terrifying to think that without “saddling up anyway,” I may be at the same day job, still creatively unfulfilled, years from now, wondering what might have been had I just taken a few leaps of writing faith when I had the chance.

I think I’d rather fail gloriously than regret not trying.

(Or that’s what I’m telling myself until I actually believe it.)

By: kel

kel — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:32:30 +0000

Fear has always been a big obstacle for me - the uncertainty behind it is what scares me the most. I can (and usually do) try to gain as much knowledge about something before I “go for it” but even then, that can only carry me so far, some of it will be left to chance. That is the part I struggle with…it’s kind of like looking over the edge of a cliff, knowing I’ve got a safety net there but taking that first step off is the hard part, sometimes you just need that push -
~K

By: MizFit

MizFit — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:45:22 +0000

and WG nailed it huh?

it is so easy to get mired in the ME (are my dimples showing? (does WG even have dimples?!)) when others are so MIRED THERE AS WELL they arent even giving us a *thought*

By: MizFit

MizFit — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:44:26 +0000

I have a friend (ok my mom :)) whom I think will often NOT TAKE HELP (it’s the ole Jewish joke of “it’s fine. (sigh) Ill sit in the dark”) because if she did and the situation (GASP!) IMPROVED what would she lament?

By: WeightingGame

WeightingGame — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:27:59 +0000

re fear, I often find myself wondering, “What if I just totally and completely chucked all this body image nonsense - like, ignored any bad thoughts and practiced eveything i preached and accepted my body as it without wishing I didn;t have cellulite?” What would happen then? I’ll tell you what - I’d be damn happy. It’s that fear that holds us back. Maybe it’s fear of “Well, what would I worry about THEN?” (I’m a perpetual worrywart). For now, a step I’m going to take involves walking on the beach in Mexico with my husband this Thanksgiving in a bikini and trying hard not to give a damn what anyone might think, good or bad. In all likelihood, they’re prolly to busy worrying about themselves to even care what my butt looks like. We’ll see how it goes…