As many of you will know, this is the title of a pretty iconic book, written over 30 years ago. Even if you haven’t read the book, you wi certainly have heard the phrase.
Yesterday I was interviewed for a podcast about my journey to have Freya. It was quite emotional for me, in a lovely way. One of the things I said, was that despite the fear, doubts and many reasons to not pursue a non-conventional path to motherhood, I felt the fear and did it anyway!
I have spent many years being interested in, studying and teaching others about our stress response. Stress is basically the result of the emotion “fear”. This is a very healthy, and vital emotion. But when we let it get the better of us, it can wreak havoc in our lives. It can cause all sorts of health problems – including backache, high blood pressure, infertility, as well as anxiety, insomnia, and depression.
Excessive fear can hold us back from living life to the full, and finding true purpose and joy.
Creating purpose in our life often means making changes. Getting out of our comfort zone.
Sometimes we need to feel the fear and do it anyway.
Because there will always be fear. It’s our innate, biological reaction to doing anything that makes us scared.
Whether this is starting a new job, going on first date, making a pitch to a potential client, even going to a yoga class for the first time!
So many things that are new cause fear, and potential stress.
It’s so important to know that this is the natural response for getting out of our comfort zone in any way.
But if we live our life without trying anything new, without doing things that bring out some fear, we may never get to experience the other vital emotion of JOY.
In terms of the 5 Element System of Traditional Chinese Medicine – the ancient medical system of Shiatsu (and Acupuncture) - the emotion of fear is linked to the water element. The associated organs are the bladder and kidneys.
When we are used to living in a state of stress, our health and wellbeing are compromised.
Lower backache, feeling exhausted, feeling stuck, low confidence, feeling irritable and anxious, unable to move forward - are some of the physical and physiological symptoms of the water element being out of balance.
Understanding when our “fear” is helping us to stay safe, and when it’s holding us back, is key to feeling well, on every level.
Feeling the fear and doing it anyway, may not always be the most appropriate response!
But it often is.
And then the next step becomes easier. And the next.
Making healthy changes in your life does not happen overnight.
So, I want to ask you: can you do one thing today that scares you, even a little?
Feel the fear and do it anyway!
If you want to learn some practical ways to restore balance to your nervous system, reducing stress, and relieving backache, and restoring energy, join me for Sunday’s Yoga & the 5 Elements class, in Rathnew, Co Wicklow. Find out more.
Article by Kerry White
Kerry is a Workplace Wellbeing Facilitator, Speaker, Motherhood Clarity Coach, Yoga Teacher & Shiatsu Therapist and the founder of Kerry Wellbeing.
Kerry specialises in workplace sessions to help people feel as well as possible, physically & mentally. Through practical and collaborative sessions, Kerry equips people in the workplace with effective tools and insights to help them deal positively with everyday stress, challenges and common health and well-being complaints (including backache, headaches, fatigue and anxiety).
Kerry has brought her unique health & wellbeing sessions to numerous top corporates and organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO). Because she has spent many years working in pressured office-based roles, Kerry understands the challenges many people experience, both physically and mentally.