There are always things happening in my life, some good and some not so great. That’s just how it goes. In life, you must take the sunshine with the rain. I am soon to embark on something new, something I would be lying about if I said it didn’t stir up some fear in me, enough to make me question accepting it at all. I have lost count of how many times I have whispered to myself, Maybe you should back out; maybe this isn’t for you.

The Words We Need to Hear

A month ago I told my mom about the new venture ahead of me. These days I have very few people to talk to about the events of my life, special or otherwise, which made that conversation mean even more. She wasted no time telling me I was more than prepared, that this new adventure was suited for me and would likely result in growth. Even so, her confidence didn’t completely annihilate the fears that still existed.

The days are drawing down, and I will have to forge ahead, giving it everything I’ve got. As a person who carries a lot of anxiety, that is not easy, but every single day I remind myself that I can do it. Ironically, a few days ago my son came to me about a possible promotion and everything that would come with it. One of the associated tasks scared him. He said,

“Mom, I don’t think I am ready for that. I don’t know how to be in such circumstances.”

He went on to say he just didn’t feel comfortable.

Stepping Out to Grow

I thought about what is happening in my own life right now, and I knew that whatever came out of my mouth would be as much for me as it was for him. I told him sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to get to the next step. You have to walk through the discomfort to grow. I knew those words weren’t exactly something I would say to myself, but there are things I know are spiritually linked, and in that moment I was simply a mouthpiece, whether to encourage him or to encourage me. It was not planned. Those words came at exactly the right time, and I could recognize that it was likely because I needed to hear them too.

Courage Is Not the Absence of Fear

I have learned so much in this life, and one of the truest things is this. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the ability to move despite it, to conquer it, to walk forward knowing that what’s ahead matters so much more than succumbing to fear and anxiety.

Many wiser souls have spoken to this truth time and time again. Roy T. Bennett once said,

“It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.”

Albert Einstein put forth the idea that

“A ship is always safe at the shore, but that is not what it is built for.”

And a bit of wisdom attributed to Farrah Gray reads,

“Comfort is the enemy of achievement.”

Living My Purpose

Because I understand my purpose, sharing this is as much in service to that calling as it is a genuine desire to help others through my own lived experiences. Fear has a way of making us feel alone, as if we are the only ones standing at the edge of something new, trembling. But we are not alone.

Every person who has ever grown has stood in that same spot, hearts pounding, and taken the step anyway. I am taking mine, and if you are standing at your own edge, I hope you take yours too. I am rewarded every time I know my words touched someone, whether it be one person or many, because that is the whole point. We walk through the rain so we can show others the way to the sunshine.