There’s something you should know.
Your body will literally kill you to keep you safe.
For example: cholesterol.
Cholesterol is just a Band Aid that covers a wound. A Band Aid is a tool and tools are neither good nor bad, but rather necessary. If your artery is bursts, you die. Cholesterol keeps you safe from this type of quick death.
I like living, so this makes cholesterol a really good thing.
Bet you never thought of it that way, huh?
But cholesterol can also kill you.
Too much of it and your artery gets blocked off, shuts down and goes out of business…permanently.
And that usually doesn’t bode too well for your brain, your heart or your social life.
You get the idea.
Your brain works the same way. Your brain is so busy keeping you safe that it will kill you slowly.
Not necessarily your body, but your soul.
Your brain LOVES routine. It loves to be efficient and move on to the next thing.
It’s not all about taking the scenic route and stopping for the waterfall selfie. It’s about getting it done… and getting it done FAST.
In your brain’s eye, habits on autopilot are a high five and a happy dance all rolled into one with a fresh-squeezed, ice-cold lemonade in a frosted to-go cup served on the side.
Habits are AWESOME!
Except when they’re not.
Habits keep you safe, but habits can also keep you driving in circles.
And driving in circles doesn’t help you live a full and meaningful life.
Think back to the last time you wanted to level up.
Did your brain say, “Oh great, a complete life overhaul with a barely-navigable learning curve and an unknown destination. I’m all in”?
Or did Fear (and his cousins, Doubt and Worry) ring your doorbell and march right in like you’re an extended-stay motel expecting breakfast and clean sheets daily?
Fear doesn’t have to control you, overwhelm you or stop you.
It is simply a sign.
Fear is the road sign that lets you know that there’s something worth seeing after you exit the habit roundabout.
It’s a sign saying that there’s something better up ahead.
But only if you’re willing to put your blinker on.
Fear is simply a tool and when you start seeing it that way, your world will shift.
Eleanor Roosevelt has been credited for saying, “Do something every day that scares you.”
Learning how to handle fear is the secret to keeping your soul alive.
And that’s why #3 is Make Fear Your Friend.
P.S. You see the word “Fearless” tossed around a lot lately. Don’t buy into the myth of fearlessness. If you’re seeking a lack of fear, you’re not searching for the best version of yourself; you are settling for your status quo.
You were meant for more.
Want more mindset truths and techniques that will help you create a life you love? Grab a FREE copy of my guide: 3 Simple Steps to Change Your Beliefs or Contact Me.
This post is part of my series, The First 50, where I am sharing 50 things I’ve learned before turning 50. If you missed any of the earlier posts, you can find them here: