Tales of a coffee-holic: Letting loose

I guess it’s a cliché to say that if we’re not doing anything that scares us, we’re not really living life.

Even if it is, I think its a concept most of us don’t normally ponder. We go about our lives, usually following a familiar route even on walks and when driving. We might forgo an exciting job opportunity because we’re under qualified for it when it could be a chance to expand our horizons and learn new things. We might stay in an unhappy relationship out of fear of being alone. I’ve often heard many friends from back home in Indiana talk about getting out of the small town in which they grew up, never to do so out of fear of the unknown.

I propose that you can never know how good or bad something might be until you jump in head first and find out. You can never know what a new place will be like until you arrive there. You can never know if a new job is truly suited to you until you’re working in it. You might not know if your business venture will yield any profitability until it’s up and running.

Although fear is something we often avoid because most of us find it highly unpleasant, it’s a sign that we’re progressing in life. If we’re never scaring ourselves, we aren’t challenging ourselves. The alternative means stagnation. The one thing I know about people who live long and happy lives, from years working as a caregiver for the elderly is that they are constantly challenging themselves. They get involved in new hobbies, make new friends and travel to exciting places.

I think we can mostly agree that a life constantly full of fear wouldn’t be desirable either. However, doing something that scares you once in a while might be good for you. If you’re shy, strike up a conversation with a stranger sometime, just to show yourself you can do it. If you’re bored at work, take on a new project that you’re not quite sure you can handle and make it happen.

You might impress yourself and you boss with your skills.

Probably don’t jump off a building or walk down a dark alley by yourself, but maybe tell someone, a significant other or friend how much you care about them without the guarantee that they’ll say it back.

Go out without makeup, admit to your male friends that you like watching the Real Housewives. If your favorite song comes on in the grocery store, do a little dance even if you’re scared it might be embarrassing.

You’ll never know what will happen if you don’t do it. People may love the way you look fresh faced, you might find new buddies with which to watch your guilty pleasure show or you might find some freedom in letting loose in a public place.