Create Your Sunshine

This is probably one of my favourite quotes from school. I say it at least once a day and just this little phrase has helped me overcome A LOT! If you’re like me your “scary stuff” can be REALLY intimidating! Your first inclination might be to run away or look for another alternative (ANY alternative) just to avoid said scary stuff. You know what I realized though, it’s not going to go away just because you took a right instead of a left. The more that we run away from our fears the harder they will be to overcome. By ignoring them, we make them MUCH bigger than they already are.

When I think about fears, I am always reminded of this one scene in Harry Potter. The class has to face a Boggart, which is a creature that will turn into your deepest, darkest fears. Scary right? Each student has to face it head on and turn it into something funny. Neville, one of the students, is terrified of Snape (a professor) so when the Boggart appears as Snape, he imagines Snape wearing his grandma’s clothes and look what happens. Not as scary anymore is he?

What if we looked at our fears the same way. Just F E E L the fear and do it anyway? It can be something big or small. Yesterday while I was on a hike, I came to a stream that had to be crossed in order to continue. It wasn’t moving very fast and it wasn’t too deep, but the path across was a lot of little loose rocks and I did not want to end up in the water. It was scary for me, but I decided to feel the fear and do it anyway and I made it across, in one piece – DRY! I took the path that scared me instead of trying to find another way around – and let me tell you – I felt SO much better because of it. I felt like I could take on anything else in that hike!

Once you can over come the thing that is holding you back, so many more doors will open for you. So, what’s holding you back? Can you take it head on today? Can you look your fear in the eye and say “Not today, mister!”. It’s ok if it’s too much all at once. Just take one step, one step towards facing your fears. I’d love to hear how it goes! Please leave a comment below. What was the outcome? How did it feel?

♥ xo