“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
This memorable quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt may or may not be her exact words, but the sentiment of the statement resonates regardless. We need to find our fears every day and face them.
Easier said than done, I know.
For most humans, fear is one of the trickiest emotions to tackle. Our brains are hardwired to protect us, to keep us safe, so, to face a fear head-on and do one thing every day that scares us seems like a ludicrous idea.
Trust me, I know. For years, I was the queen of side-stepping around the things that got scary in my life in an effort to avoid feeling uncomfortable. But, as Eleanor Roosevelt is also quoted to have said, “those small things that make us uncomfortable help us build courage to do the work we do.”
As the years passed, I came to a point in my life where my fears were getting in my way, preventing my growth, and holding me back. So, I took Roosevelt’s words to heart, as well as the words from a favorite poet of mine, Robert Frost, who declared that “the best way out is always through.”
So into the fear I went.
What Roosevelt did actually say about fear in her 1960 book titled You Learn By Living: Eleven Keys to a More Fulfilling Life was, “you gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”
And, that is really what the heart of finding your fears is all about. Acknowledging the things in your life that seem scary and stepping straight through them in order to live a life that is in alignment with what you were meant to do. On your terms. In your time. With thoughts, and ideas, and dreams that are unequivocally yours.
Fashion designer, entrepreneur, and brainchild behind the Female Founder Collective (a non-profit community collective of education and business resources for women), Rebecca Minkoff is no stranger to being afraid. In her recently released self-help tome titled Fearless, Minkoff begins this 21-rule handbook to personal empowerment with a vulnerable opening confession. We all have fear.
Isn’t that the truth.
Fear of failure. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of rejection. Fear of change. You name it, I’ve probably felt it. But, what I have finally come to learn in my forty-some years of life, is that my greatest fear is the fear of missing out on my purpose and neglecting my dreams simply because I feel afraid.
Even if your dream seems unattainable, you can achieve it if you stay focused, driven, and diligent.
Rebecca Minkoff
If you listen to the stories from Minkoff, or anyone you view as famous, successful, powerful, or important, one worthy thing to note is that nearly everyone who “made it” had to push through a moment of personal fear in order to reach the other side.
When I began my Poshmark journey five years ago as a online thrift reseller I had enormous amounts of fear that I found to be very intimidating. Fear of being seen. Fear of making mistakes. Fear that I didn’t belong with all the people in the huge world of clothing and trends. After all, I was a librarian, not a fashion maven.
But, that is where passion and purpose come forth. I may have been feeling fear over my new venture, but my desire to do it gave me the courage to keep going. Minkoff expresses a similar sentiment in chapter five of her book saying, “Logically, it made no sense for me to keep doing what I was doing, but that is where passion stepped in to save the day.”
Today, I find that my motivation and courage grow with each fear I face and overcome, allowing me to dream bigger, believe more, and achieve more. And, I am thankful to have inspiring women such as Rebecca Minkoff share their stories to help me learn and grow. Check out her new book today!
What do you feel is the biggest fear or challenge you are currently facing? I’d love to hear from you!