No Room Here for Fear

For a long time I was part of the resistance.

In fact, I think that I could have possibly been the leader of the resistance.

The resistance to change that is.

I would put up roadblocks whenever I sensed the slightest disruption to my current lifestyle, even if I knew that the change was for the better, that it could bring growth and opportunity and happiness; I would dig in my heels until I either had to submit to the change and admit that I was wrong, or miss out on the chance to grow altogether and never know what might have been. 

I will never know what I missed out on during those early resistant years of my life, really the first twenty two and a half years of my existence.

But I was lucky enough that something happened and made me realise that what I was resisting was not the change. 

It was the fear of what was next. 

The fear of what I would become when I accepted the change. 

I was afraid of being better, or more, or closer to what I really wanted in my life.

In staying the same I knew what to expect, I knew who I was, where I was and I didn't have to risk disappointment because every outcome had been pretested.

I was leaving too much room for fear and it was crowding out happiness.

When I realised that I was wasting space in my life on being afraid I knew that a major spring cleaning was in order.

There was no room for fear in the life I wanted to lead.

So I listened to the fear, and then like an unwelcome houseguest I told it to pack its bags and leave.

Now.

I watched fear's back retreat into the distance of a past where I felt stifled, stagnant.

Then I let happiness in. Her sunshine filled the rooms of my life and left room for others too.

Joy came and stayed.

Adventure led me far and wide, my travel mate at home and abroad. Without fear I could truly experience and grow and learn from each adventure, whether the end was happy or sad or in between.

Then love. Love came waltzing in and thank goodness my life and heart are elastic waist banded because Love was the happiest, most joyful adventure I had found to date and it swelled the girth of my life no end.

It's not to say that some fear is not healthy, fear is a useful warning system that can help us avoid disaster. But we shouldn't be afraid of our own lives. There shouldn't be room for fear in the everyday.

Because fear crowds out happiness, joy, adventure, love.

Here, in my present, in this life that I own there is no room for fear.

Sorry fear, my life is full of happiness, joy, adventure and Love there is simply isn't space for you.

No room here for fear.