Courage and Fear

Mark Twain once said, "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear."

Feeling fear is normal but so many are afraid to admit it. Fear can lock us into a way of life and keep us from being truly challenged and happy. I have learned that the best thing to do is to share my fear with someone else. When I try to pretend I am not feeling it, I become even more anxious. So decide that courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to move through it, share it, and then do what must be done.

I also read once that, "Unknowns are merely joys we have not met." What a wonderful way to think about things and events. You can take new experiences in baby steps if you need to. You do get to be in charge of how you handle it. Does that surprise you? Learning this important fact has given me such freedom to explore and move ahead in my life. And please do not compare yourself to someone else. We are, each of us, unique in who we are as individuals and in how we handle life. Enjoy your uniqueness and move forward!

And in closing, Brendan Francis once said, "Many of our fears are tissue-paper thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them." So, keep these ideas in mind when you next feel fearful. What fear can you walk through today?

Karlynn Baker lives in Arizona and she received a Master of Science degree at the University of Arizona in 1972. She owns her own counseling business and enjoys life with her husband, David, three daughters, and two adorable grandsons.

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