Beginning a journey towards our deepest desires takes bravery, courage, and audacity. Unknowing what the future might uncover, we must make the bold choice to simply–begin.
Imagine yourself running a race. The announcer yells “go!” and you take a deep breath and start off first by just moving your feet—one step at a time.
Imagine yourself running a race. The announcer yells “go!” and you take a deep breath and start off first by just moving your feet—one step at a time.
“Slow and steady,” you chant. This message is a reminder of the power that dwells inside of you. And just as you begin to find the rhythm of the breath and the flow in your pace, you feel a swift wind as people start to whiz by. Opponents going faster, appearing more at ease… better. You may think to yourself, “Did I train hard enough?” “Is it even worth moving forward if I get there at a slower pace?” “Am I going to lose?”
Without noticing, these questions begin to take up space in your mind. Your pace quickens as your breathing turns shallow. Panic permeates throughout, and your body knows that it cannot sustain this rhythm. Slowing down to a gentle pace, you breathe.
“Slow and steady,” you remember. Breathe in and out, you remember.
As you reflect on the training that helped you get here, you recall the sweat, the determination, and the challenges you overcame. Finding your inner flow, you run with the rhythm of your breath and confidence from the growth. You remember how much stronger you’ve gotten since back then.
This transformation inspires your mind to dream. The vision is crisp. You can feel the final strides towards the finish line. Your heart pumps energetically. Proud. You can already sense what it feels like to reach your goal. A smile curls onto your lips as this proud stride transforms into a free flow. “I can do this,” you proclaim.
You exhale stronger than before.
Something catches your eyes on the sidelines. You turn your focus to racers parked on the side, taking breaks for nourishment and relieving exhaustion. There’s a race to be won, you say to yourself. “Why would they just give up?” Embarrassed for them, you think mainly of their perceived weakness. And underneath, you shutter at the probability that you’re next. “If they can’t finish, what makes me think I can?”
Hope begins to dwindle.
But your focus is captured by the presence of something moving closer. You look back to see your biggest opponent approaching…seconds pass, and fear blows by.
Fear! The very well acquainted opponent.
It can’t beat you… The chase begins.
Without knowing where fear is headed or what it’s running towards, you redirect your focus towards catching up with it and defeating it. But the pace is too quick. You can’t breathe deeply, and you can no longer visualize the finish line.
The fear has control over your full participation, direction, and focus.
What would happen if you stopped chasing fear? If fear was no longer your opponent but your companion, you continued instead to run towards your dreams, using fear as a pacer or a measurement of growth.
When we’re faced with challenges that take us away from our reason for beginning our journey’s we must ask ourselves… “What is most important in this moment and future moments?”
Is it the absence of fear that ranks higher than the presence or the fulfillment of our dreams?
You can achieve your goals without eliminating all of the ideas or feelings that frighten you. Within you lies all the power, courage, and audacity you need to cross the finish line.
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” ― Audre Lorde
Distractions from others and our own fears have a way of getting in the way and blocking our vision of our true desires. Instead of progressing towards our goal, we try to focus our attention to avoid or destroy our fears before we move forward.
This refocusing shifts our awareness from what we want to accomplish and where we want to go to what we don’t want, but just like when we’re driving, when our focus shifts to one side of the lane, our attention, and our car will subconsciously follow.
As you continue on your journey, as you move towards your dreams, remember to pace yourself only with your internal rhythm, prioritize rest and rejuvenation, befriend your fears, listen to why they are here, and understand its origin motivation. Partner with your insecurities, and keep moving forward. Use your internal fear to learn more about the strength of your own courage.
Because one day you will reach the finish line, and fear might still be alongside you. Or maybe it will transform into something completely different, preparing for the next race.
Without noticing, these questions begin to take up space in your mind. Your pace quickens as your breathing turns shallow. Panic permeates throughout, and your body knows that it cannot sustain this rhythm. Slowing down to a gentle pace, you breathe.
“Slow and steady,” you remember. Breathe in and out, you remember.
As you reflect on the training that helped you get here, you recall the sweat, the determination, and the challenges you overcame. Finding your inner flow, you run with the rhythm of your breath and confidence from the growth. You remember how much stronger you’ve gotten since back then.
This transformation inspires your mind to dream. The vision is crisp. You can feel the final strides towards the finish line. Your heart pumps energetically. Proud. You can already sense what it feels like to reach your goal. A smile curls onto your lips as this proud stride transforms into a free flow. “I can do this,” you proclaim.
You exhale stronger than before.
Something catches your eyes on the sidelines. You turn your focus to racers parked on the side, taking breaks for nourishment and relieving exhaustion. There’s a race to be won, you say to yourself. “Why would they just give up?” Embarrassed for them, you think mainly of their perceived weakness. And underneath, you shutter at the probability that you’re next. “If they can’t finish, what makes me think I can?”
Hope begins to dwindle.
But your focus is captured by the presence of something moving closer. You look back to see your biggest opponent approaching…seconds pass, and fear blows by.
Fear! The very well acquainted opponent.
It can’t beat you… The chase begins.
Without knowing where fear is headed or what it’s running towards, you redirect your focus towards catching up with it and defeating it. But the pace is too quick. You can’t breathe deeply, and you can no longer visualize the finish line.
The fear has control over your full participation, direction, and focus.
What would happen if you stopped chasing fear? If fear was no longer your opponent but your companion, you continued instead to run towards your dreams, using fear as a pacer or a measurement of growth.
When we’re faced with challenges that take us away from our reason for beginning our journey’s we must ask ourselves… “What is most important in this moment and future moments?”
Is it the absence of fear that ranks higher than the presence or the fulfillment of our dreams?
You can achieve your goals without eliminating all of the ideas or feelings that frighten you. Within you lies all the power, courage, and audacity you need to cross the finish line.
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” ― Audre Lorde
Distractions from others and our own fears have a way of getting in the way and blocking our vision of our true desires. Instead of progressing towards our goal, we try to focus our attention to avoid or destroy our fears before we move forward.
This refocusing shifts our awareness from what we want to accomplish and where we want to go to what we don’t want, but just like when we’re driving, when our focus shifts to one side of the lane, our attention, and our car will subconsciously follow.
As you continue on your journey, as you move towards your dreams, remember to pace yourself only with your internal rhythm, prioritize rest and rejuvenation, befriend your fears, listen to why they are here, and understand its origin motivation. Partner with your insecurities, and keep moving forward. Use your internal fear to learn more about the strength of your own courage.
Because one day you will reach the finish line, and fear might still be alongside you. Or maybe it will transform into something completely different, preparing for the next race.
