Fear as an opportunity, as a teacher

When faced with difficult feelings, we often feel the need to "make them go away." It is natural to want to feel better. This desire may be especially true with writing, which can often feel difficult enough. I have  previously written about the various emotional states and issues that can get in the way of productivity and thriving.  Indeed, many of us must attend to our difficult emotions and learn to push them aside in order to get words down on the page. Blocking out what we feel so we can work is often a good thing to do.

There are times, however, where it is important to reflect upon what we are experiencing, and to try to learn from it.

Fear, for example, can be an important teacher. It can help us discover things about ourselves, and push us to grow in new ways. One of my favorite lines from a song, "Hey Leonardo", is: "The things we are afraid of, are going to show us what we're made of in the end."

The next time you find yourself feeling afraid, ask yourself what this fear can teach you about yourself, about your life, and who you wish to become. 

While this post may not seem as if it is about writing or publishing, I think some of you can come up with examples that will show that indeed it is.