Don't hold back

The hardest thing to is fear. My life is filled with family and friends who love and encourage me in all of my triumphs and failures. I do not have any reason to give up or question myself, yet I find myself holding myself back a lot of the time. 

I have concluded that I am scared of one of two things:

1) My Failure - defined: Lack of success and/or an unsuccessful person, enterprise, or thing

2) My Success- defined: The accomplishment of an aim or purpose; or the attainment of popularity or profit

Failure is understandable. Also the easiest to get over, I know that no matter what I fail at, I will not only survive, but it will probably lead me to something else. I have come to terms with fear, yet at times it still holds me back.

BUT success? Why would I be scared to succeed. Simple, because what happens when you succeed? What if tomorrow all of your dreams come true? Then what? That is scary to me. My dreams are BIG, but they are also attainable. They WILL happen one day, and that is the scary part. The fear of your own potential is the strangest but most exciting feeling. 

I believe the only way to conquer these 'fears' is to mentally challenge myself. To stop saying can't, no and later, and start saying can, yes and NOW! Today I proved to myself that I have the ability to do anything I set my mind to- I challenged myself to a 9 minute mile. I did it. Why have I not done this before? Because I have been telling myself I can't and that I would do it later. Completing such a small, accomplishable task feels insanely rewarding. I am no longer scared of the failure of a 9 minute mile- because I know I can do it; and I am no longer scared of the success- because it feels great. 

Next goal: 8 minute mile. YES, I CAN!

xo Emily