To Be Brave, You Must First Be Afraid.

So, you're afraid.

So am I.

So is every other human being that you see.

The greatest lie ever perpetuated is "you are the only one."

We label some people as "fearless," but if we dig deeper, we often see that they are moving quickly because they are afraid of standing still.  We keep our fears in different places, but fear is fear, nonetheless.

Contrary to popular belief, being brave is not about fearless.  You can't be courageous until you have first felt fear and moved past it.

So, you're afraid to speak up, start your business, tell the truth, change careers, make a change, love...

and that's okay.

But what ISN'T okay is living a life of quiet desperation, never spreading your wings, or raising your voice.

Burn passion for fuel, and you may sputter (or even stall) at times, but if you never even ignite your passions, you don't leave the garage.

Fear is like a big creepy monster with no teeth and no claws.  Oh, how it roars and howls.  It lurches toward us, threatening to devour.  But fear is also a coward, and once you recognize it for what it is, it no longer has power over you.  Acknowledge the fear that you feel ("Hi, Fear - I see your punk ass!") then walk through it... and be about your work.

This is the stuff of heroes and champions, and what's pretty friggin' cool is that we all have the possibility within us.

--Nicole