If You Let Your Fears Stop You, You Are Not Going to Grow

There was a time in my life when I felt the odds were in my favor—I had a stable income, a happy soul, and great career opportunities. While the opportunities were beyond what I have imagined, they were overwhelming to the point that I had to let go of some things so dear to me, including my most stable job in one of the Philippines' biggest TV networks.

I did this so that I can pursue my biggest break at that time. But that move was something that terrified me to the bones for many reasons. One, I'll be working with one of the country's most sought-after celebrities; two, it's going to be my first time doing the job; and three, I have nowhere to return to if this project fails. Before and after I said yes to the project, I questioned myself every day if I can really do it. 

Long-overdue update on this post: a lot has been accomplished, and it went well. At first, at least. But after two months, the celebrity decided not to continue it. Therefore, all the production staff (including me) lost this huge project in a snap, without any warning. 

Fast forward to today, I found myself in the same position as I was in years ago. This time, it's a lot more challenging and a lot more terrifying. Just like before, I have to let go of something I've already loved. I have to step out of my comfort zone again to enter a new path. I will be doing something I find most difficult to accomplish. Doing something I’ve tried to avoid for the longest time. And doing something that scares me… again. 

But this has always been me—doing something I was a little not ready to do. 

Well, this is me: saying yes to new things even if it’s absolutely daunting. Saying yes to something that’s totally new to me. I can’t risk letting the opportunity go. So just as it has always been, I said yes and will just figure things out later. Because at the end of the day, I know things will fall into place.

You see, it's okay to be scared. It's normal. 

But if you let your fears stop you, you're not going to grow. 

You might end up spending a lifetime thinking of regrets and what-ifs because of the job you never applied for, the places you never traveled to, the person who got away because you didn't tell him or her how you feel, and the chances you didn't take.

There’s always going to be something that will scare you. It might be touching the head of a puppy, or jumping thousands of feet from above. It might also be letting go of someone dearly. But the most terrifying of all is failure, right? Because what if we fail? What if it doesn't get better?

But what if we don't? 

What if we do it and actually get everything we ever wanted?

You must do the thing you think you cannot do. — Eleanor Roosevelt

Looking back, although I felt like a failure for choosing what I thought was a "wrong" decision at that time, it was only years after that I realize it was a huge lesson and certainly one of the best opportunities I had. It actually led me to bigger things. That project, although short, opened so many doors for me. Did I fail? No! Am I still going to be afraid? Most probably! Will I stop venturing into things I know nothing about? Certainly not! 

My dreams are bigger than my fears. And I hope yours, too. Today, I hope you learn to embrace discomfort. I hope you will allow yourself to grow. I hope you will believe in yourself that you can do it. And finally, I hope you do the thing that scares you.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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