Do one thing every day that scares you…I disagree with this sentiment.
I’ve often heard this sort of thing. It is usually attached to business acumen, implying that if you are not fearful you are doing something wrong. I don’t think you need to be standing on a precipice, sweating bullets to have an exciting, fulfilling, forward moving life.
I don’t like negative reinforcement, or fear mongering (self-induced, or otherwise). It’s not productive. Fear can stop us in our tracks, and that doesn’t get us anywhere. I think the best decision making is carefully considered, intuitive, and not driven by fear.
That quote about fear is often attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. She was a wise woman, so I found a quote of hers I like more: “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
Perhaps it is framing. We can conquer fears, and overcome horrors, in fact, in life we must, but we don’t need to choose fear. We can simply face it when we need to.
So, instead of choosing FEAR, I offer this suggestion—let’s choose to EXHILARATE!
To EXHILARATE is to have strong feelings of happiness and excitement.
Synonyms of EXHILARATE are: animate, elate, exalt, excite, thrill, uplift, boost, buoy, cheer, delight, enliven, gladden, inspire, inspirit, invigorate, lift, rejoice, stimulate, vitalize.
Synonyms for FEAR are: terror, horror, alarm, panic, agitation, trepidation, dread, dismay, distress, anxiety, worry, angst, unease.
Which do you prefer?
I find plenty of things exhilarating—swimming with sharks, for example. It is an activity other people often tell me seems crazy, or dangerous. But I am not scared of sharks, you see. I think they are majestic, powerful, and beautiful. If we can seek to understand the things that could instill fear, and face them, perhaps we can live in a state of curiosity, tranquility, and understanding, with more ease and enjoyment.
Do one thing every day that exhilarates you…