#119 – How to Do It Scared (Life & Storytelling)
How Fear Can be Your Compass
Fear. We all know it. That sometimes choking all consuming feeling that arrests your mind and body. Or the more subtle hesitation in the pit of your stomach that makes you turn away from what’s in front of you. It is a powerful force. And, if you’re not careful, it can take over—make you life choices for you as you turn away again and again from opportunity and chance and possibility.
Strangely fear has been both a boon and a burden in my life. As someone who lives with anxiety it is almost always at the ready to take over my mind and body in a situation. But over the years I’ve come to understand that the fear is there to protect me and guide me. It’s a little over protective but that is where my awareness has to step in and say, “cool it,” so I can look around and figure out what I actually need.
At its best though fear has been a guide for me. When an opportunity arises and it makes me a little scared I take that as a sign to walk toward it, to explore. Fear and curiosity have been the primary drivers of my life and career. They sent me across the country for university at 17, they made me take the leap out of journalism and into creative strategy, they got me to start this newsletter, to take a chance on tech, and to start my own business.
I use fear as compass in my life, in my work, and in my writing. The things that make me uncomfortable are the things I move closer to. Partly to try and understand the fear and partly to see what that protective instinct had tuned into. I want that for you, {{ subscriber.first_name }}.
Rather than let fear take over you life, try to acknowledge it, start scared and see where it takes you.
I’ve been thinking about fear a lot lately as I get ready to take a big life leap (I’ll tell you about it soon) and it has just come up in conversations and in the world around me a lot. I find myself in a place of seeking fear as I transition out of three years of what many of us can agree was hellish into whatever new reality awaits. My brain and heart are wondering, what next and I’m turning to fear as my guide.
As storytellers fear plays a role in our efforts. It takes a huge amount of vulnerability to share your stories and often with that comes a sense of fear—that hesitation, that consuming feeling. I’d encourage you to lean into the feeling, acknowledge it, thank it for protecting you, and step forward bravely in whatever direction it's pointing. Because that’s where the fun and adventure of life waits. It’s where your story begins anew. It’s also how you make a story , which is really what we're here to do (and share it of course).
A Story Well Told
This one is from me and my creative collaborator on Re-Work , which I’ve told you about in the past. We had our first event a few weeks ago and were lucky enough to have somewhere there to capture elements of the experience. I shared it here and wanted to share the magic with you as well.
Chantaie Allick
Writer|Strategist|Storyteller
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