Do a Little Something

What scares you? What really, really makes you shake in your boots?

It could be something tangible, like spiders or snakes. Or it could be something intangible, like letting someone into your heart.

No matter what it is that scares you, this month, we are going to challenge you to identify your fears and then push yourself to get uncomfortable and grow past them.

Then we’re going to ask you to do something every day that scares you, because we’ve been inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt, who said…

Do one thing every day that scares you.

So what does that really mean? That every day you’re going to jump out of an airplane or pet your friend’s tarantula?

No, it’s probably a little more low pressure than that.

It’s more about stretching and doing little things that scare you, little talking to a stranger if you’re shy or socially awkward or telling someone how you feel about them if sharing your emotions doesn’t come easily to you. It’s about taking risks, even if they’re small risks, every single day.

Here’s a little example for you…

Last fall I drove to a local park on my lunch hour. It was a beautiful day and I just wanted to take in some sunshine. As I was sitting in my car with the windows down, a young man drove up and parked next to me. As I sat and sunned myself, he got his wheelchair out of his car, got himself into his wheelchair, and began to wheel himself around the mile-long paved track at the park.

Frankly, I was amazed at his strength and determination and will. What I wanted to do was put a note on his window telling him how awesome he was, but I was afraid. Afraid of looking foolish and afraid of offending him, because I didn’t want him to feel like he was any different than me, just because he was in a wheelchair. And to be honest, I really regret that I didn’t push myself through my trivial fears and write that note, because I really wanted to tell him how much he impressed me that day.

I don’t want to live a life in which I have regrets due to small, trivial fears or great, impactful fears. I want to live a life in which I push myself through my fears and do great things. And I’m guessing that if you’re still reading, you want to live a juicy, fearless life too.

So go ahead and jump out of that airplane if it’s what you really want to do, however just make sure you have a parachute. But for the rest of us, let’s take a good look at ourselves and figure out some little ways that we can challenge ourselves to greatness every day this month. They say it only takes 21 days to start a habit, so by the end of the month you’ll be taking risks and challenging your fears like no other!

This month we’re going to give our fears a good, swift kick in the ass!

Today, promise yourself that you’re going to do a little something that scares you. It doesn’t have to be anything huge. Maybe it’s as simple as chatting someone up if it feels uncomfortable. Identify something that makes you uncomfortable or scared and then push yourself. You’ll feel so proud that you did!

What did you do today that scares you? Share your story in the comments below.