Do it Scared...Part III

                                                  Do It Scared...Part III

Grab your net
and get going.

Wrapping up our series on "Do It Scared," we want to get to the "do it" part.  We've talked about some thoughts on fear and what stalls us out.  We've also talked a little bit about the benefits of "doing it anyway."  Today, we'll talk a bit about how we overcome our fears to get across the finish line.  Hopefully, the series has unpacked for your family what you're scared of (even if you wouldn't have described it necessarily that way) and how to "do the thing" to live a fuller life.  

Just slide
down.

One way that we can get past our fears is to take small steps or small doses of our particular fear.  For the more tangible fears like heights, you could work your way up - playground, ladder, sit on the roof, etc, until your fear starts to get under control.  In the more theoretical, if you're worried about having kids, consider doing small steps like volunteering to watch kids at church.  Worried about buying a house, consider volunteering at Habitat for Humanity to get a better sense of being an informed consumer...or go to about a zillion open houses so that you get a good sense of price and value.  

Go try out the 
scary lava tube.
Just say "yes."

Another way to knock down your fear is to shine a light that helps cast out the shadows.  Often, most of what we "think" we're afraid of is actually uncertainty.  By shining light into the dark places, we can see more clearly what is there...that clarity helps quash the fear.  Some of the "light" can be through learning more about our particular fear - read a book, pray about it, watch a video, ask AI, listen to a podcast, go to coffee with someone who has been there before.   Chances are, in today's day and age, your particular fear or problem isn't one that is particularly novel.  Nor is it likely that there is a lack of information on the topic...perhaps too much info or noise that you have to distill.  Chances are, though, with a little intentional study, you can shine a light and get a sense of what you need to learn to drive out the unknown and consequently, the fear.  

Bring your 
dog with you.

As it comes to the "do it" part...you can give yourself inoculations that ultimately make you immune, or at least competent in the face of the fear.  Say that you're scared of the dark...take a flashlight with you and sit in the dark house...escalate it to the back yard...then try the park down the way.  As you work your way up, try a night hike where you're watching the stars.  The point is, like stair steps, bumping up until you're capable of working fully in spite of your fear.  When you get practiced at seeking out your fear and engaging in it, you'll notice that other things you were scared of will lessen as well. 

Don't get blown away.

Lots in patenting that is unknown.  Some are actually fearful.  Do it anyway.  We talk about adventure and raising our next generation of adventurers.  Climbing mountains, rafting rapids, or skiing down the big hill are all potentially fearful.  Transitioning toddlers to teenagers can be full of times and situations that cause us worry.  Similar to the "shine a light on it," we can often push out the unknown and tamp down the fear.  Hopefully, people in your circle (and certainly those outside of it) have done any wild, adventurous activity...and successfully raised competent adults.  Chances are, they had fearful moments, good news is, that they overcame that...didn't give into it.  You don't have to either.  

Public speaking...
might be your thing.

Before we leave this series, one more item of note - don't entirely ignore the fear.  Our body's fear reaction is an important sanity check on what we're about to do.  This doesn't mean we embrace or ignore...it means we evaluate what our body is trying to tell us...and working through it.  We may need to mitigate the risk by making good decisions, slowing down, adding training or protective equipment.  As we work through our fears, don't jump out of a plane without a parachute...but, perhaps consider taking training, equipment, and so forth to jump out.  Whatever example applies to you...deliberately evaluate the risks, ask "why" you're feeling fearful, address the fear...and do the thing.  

We can 
build our
anti-fear
muscles.

As we depart, I'll leave you with a saying we had at jump school, "Stand in the door."  This was the mantra, rallying cry, and first step order in getting in the airplane door...to jump out.  We spent time in the ground school part that pushed us through our paces and went over every contingency until the responses were second nature.  When we got up on our first jump and the jump master opened the door - the rush of air, noise, and fuel smell filled the aircraft.  The first person to "stand in the door" realized that the cars below were Matchbox size, and then they disappeared into the windstream...gone in an instant.  At the moment, inherently fearful...every single person "stood in the door" and jumped.  Fear...and courage...are both contagious.  With you and your family...be courageous...get the ball rolling in the face of fear...and ride the momentum to a fuller life.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a couple of the fears you've thought about the last few weeks and pick out one.  Now pick three actions that are going to make you "do the thing" that you haven't.  Repeat.
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in terms of being scared - go do the small things...then the big ones.

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- Fear, Is a Liar with Zach Williams