I have dogs. Sweet, curious, and lovingly-playful dogs. Recently, one of them illustrated for me a life lesson that I’ve heard about, read about, and even pondered. I’d just never seen it so plainly in action before. It’s a lesson every Classy Lady can learn from…
She showed me the importance of overcoming fear.
Here’s what happened…
One of my dogs absolutely loves toys. It can be a chew toy, a stick, a tennis ball… you name it, she’ll make a toy out of it. One of her most “happy-joy” times of the day is when she’s playing with a chew toy. So, I decided to have some fun and placed a tennis ball on top of a roll of paper towels which was sitting on the nightstand. The goal: for her to get the toy. The fear (as I soon found out): was a scary roll of paper towels that moved when touched.
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Here’s what I witnessed…
Even though her greatest desire (at that moment) was literally inches away; she was too afraid to go for it. Her fear was holding her back! I mean, here was this intelligent, hyper-focused, find-a-way-to-make-it-happen dog just sitting, frozen in fear, sometimes even running away, because of a roll of paper towels! How silly is that?!
That’s when I had my “aha moment.” I saw how false fears (something that you think is true, but actually can’t harm you physically or emotionally) can keep you from what you want the most.
The same lesson applies to us humans. All we have to do is overcome our fears… and we can grow into the people that we strive to be, and achieve the goals and dreams that we hold dear.
This is a lesson that so many of us women, myself included, have to work through–especially when making a life change. I’ve found it’s also one of the great benefits of being an entrepreneur. When working for yourself, you’re forced to work on personal growth and (hopefully) conquer the obstacles that keep you from reaching your dreams.
And yes, I finally did give in and toss her the ball. But life doesn’t give in. You have to get it yourself.
My Questions To You Are:
- What are your goals and dreams?
- What fear (if any) is holding you back from reaching those goals and dreams?
- What is this fear costing you? Or, What would you gain by overcoming this fear?
- Is it a “false” fear (something that scares you but cannot physically hurt you)?
- If so, what are some steps you can take to move past it?
Let me know what you think! You can contact me now by leaving a comment below, or by
clicking here to send a private email. I’ll be happy to share with you what I’m doing to reach MY dreams and offer ideas on how you can reach yours!
