Can Fear Lead to Happiness?

Have you ever experienced that fear of trying something new? Maybe it’s the first time you jumped off the diving board, went rock climbing, or went to a new social event by yourself. The first time the unknown can be scary but then we push through our fear and find that its actually fun! Just this week I was taking my daughter to her first day of new summer classes. It was a different school, different teachers and different kids. She was scared and I was nervous for her too. Yet, despite her worries, she went anyway without a fuss and she did have a good day (thank goodness!). I know how hard it can be, because I remember being terribly shy as a child and hating doing anything where I didn’t know other kids. But those are the times I made new friends and found new things I liked to do despite the fear and stress I went through. I still go through similar feelings today.

What if we didn’t step outside of our comfort zone? What if we played it safe and never tried anything new? Life would certainly be less scary. We would make fewer mistakes. But think of all the things we would miss – exciting experiences, wonderful friends, fascinating things to learn. Working through our fears also gives us more self-esteem, which is so important for our success and happiness. So although I still dread the feeling that usually stands between me and doing something new, I am trying to embrace it as a tunnel I need to travel through so I can get to the sunshine on the other side. How about you?