07 October 2013

Women of Value: F is for Fearless

THE A TO Z OF WOMEN OF VALUE

F is for FEARLESS: Women of Value are Fear-Fighters!

As women so many of us are trapped in fear.  Fear is our prison and it takes guts, determination and a fighting spirit to choose to not let fear keep us locked inside our dreams.  Fear has always been a challenge for me; many  many times I have allowed fear to hold me back, push me down, render me without a voice and to dismiss my ideas and goals as useless and of little impact.  

A few years ago my hubby and I were doing some sightseeing in my beautiful homeland of New Zealand.  We were in Queenstown for a few days - known amongst other things as the bungee jumping capital of the world. On our second day there hubby said he would like to do a bungee jump, my heart began to race (even though it wasn't me who was going to be doing it!) and I began to think about how he had a fear of heights.  Great I thought to myself - just the perfect solution to overcoming a fear of heights, let's jump off a high platform - NOT!!!!

Hubby went on to explain that when he was at University he had done a case study on the bungee jumping business in Queenstown (yes the one you can see in the photo) and at that time he had said to himself to overcome my fear of heights I am going to do bungee jumping one day!  [Don't worry gals, sometimes a man's logic is too complicated!]

So off I went to the viewing deck as hubby climbed the platform, my palms were sweating and I was sure I wouldn't be able to hold the camera straight.  I waited and waited.  I saw a big line and thought oh that's good he won't be first, I heard the instructors talking about the ropes and pulleys. 

Next minute (or perhaps it was a little longer) and I hear this joyous extremely loud yell, the lady next to be said wow that was loud!  I realised it was hubby and I completely missed the shot (thank goodness for the commercial photo!!).  I was frozen in the moment.  I then looked up and saw hubby scaling the platform again and for the next hour he somehow volunteered himself in the role of chief supporter; you could hear him, cheering on each person as they came to platform, telling them they could do it, just take a step, another step and then let go and fly like a bird!!  Oh my goodness was this man my husband - LOL!

So that day I saw in action a FEAR-FIGHTER!  I saw the sheer joy of when hubby broke through the fear and began to fly as it were, and in allowing himself to break free he then started to set others free.  What a powerful analogy!  What fears do you need to bust through? What fears do you need to breakthrough on so your children don't have to be bound up in those same fears?  What step can you do today, and then what step can you do tomorrow and so on, that will edge you closer and closer to flying free into your goals and dreams; your passion and purpose?

There are many reasons we can be locked in fear.  For me growing up in a dysfunctional emotionally abusive household; fear and anxiety crippled me well in to my early 20s. I had to take hold of the meaning of fear - either to forget everything and run, or face everything and rise!  I had to start to face some pain and allow myself a journey of healing.  In doing so, the most important thing is I recognised that we have a CHOICE to get break free. 

FEAR at times can still lock me down and I can feel my stomach churning as the panic attack starts to arise.  But I focus on the choice I have.  And that choice is I am FEAR-FIGHTER; to feel the fear and do it anyway as that well known quote goes.    

Our focus in this blog challenge is particularly women who are starting out in business - wow do the fears starting coming at full speed when we decide to step out!  But Women of Value I want to say this your business is going to impact many, it will inspire other women to also start their own business!  You don't have to start out with a platform jump - just start with freelancing some of your skills; great websites to do this are www.freelancer.com and www.elance.com; and/or you could use your skill set to help others through online tutoring , check out www.tutorbee.com.  

Now go be a FEAR-FIGHTER!

Igniting Dreams | Evoking Action

Love Maree

1 comment:

  1. Wonderful story about your husband. Being a Fear Fighter or a Leap Supporter is such an awesome thing to do for yourself and others.
    Found you on twitter from the #blogboost. :)

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