Fearlessness

Braving physical fears is pretty cool, but facing emotional fears can build an exhilaration that’s much more lasting.

I’m a thrill seeker. Pressing the edges of physical safety and adventure has often captured my spirit in wild and wonderful ways. BASE jumping, sky diving, galloping horses, rally driving, daredevil skiing, climbing to very high places, free diving.

These experiences invigorate such a great feeling of aliveness and can make for really good stories to tell but the very best has come from being a daredevil with my emotions.

Crying in public.

Standing up to bullies.

Allowing the sick, sinking feeling of guilt and shame.

Remaining vulnerably open in a fight.

Pressing forward with no plan B.

Risking losing friends.

Yielding to offer second chances.

Going all in with my heart when my mind protested.

Learning to speak up in a crowd.

Forgiving myself.

Remaining peaceful when under attack.

Reaching out with love in the face of rejection.

Excavating loneliness to get to the other side all by myself.

Asking for help when it disturbed me.

Learning to recognise when ‘no’ was appropriate and then standing by it.

Remaining true to wild ambitions.

Nurturing the bravery to go my own way when no one understands.

Giving myself permission to express anger. And admitting there’s always something more vulnerable tucked underneath.

Holding strong to faith even when the evidence is slow to justify it.

Being willing to cut ties with those who repeatedly refuse to grow and change.

Trusting people without them having to prove themselves.

Generosity because it feels good, even when others won’t reciprocate.

Honouring the truth no matter the consequences.

Seeing things through to the end.

Facing fears relentlessly so that now they propel me forward rather than hold me back.

Being willing to cry for decades until the sorrow dried up and tears emerge now from sublime delight.

I learned to set aside addictions and feel good strategies, to surrender unmedicated and defenseless to whatever comes. This journey of leaning ever further past the edges of my heart has established an extraordinary and genuine fearlessness.