Be Bold & Brave

Hello loves and happy fall!

I am so excited for the autumn season officially starting (at least in my mind since it stays hot in the South for a bit). Pumpkin Spice Lattes, leaves changing, and of course ~Spooky Season~ are some of my favorite things about the fall.

As a kid, however, waking up to see red and gold leaves instead of green signified one thing: school starting, ugh. I'm sure everyone remembers viewing their first day of each new year with mixed feelings. Some excitement to see your friends, maybe for a new class you've been looking forward to taking; other times you felt nervous about being in a new place or around new people.

Now I'm no longer a kid (or even a student anymore which is crazy), but I still get nervous about new things. Moving cities, a new career path or even driving to a new restaurant that doesn't have its own parking lot makes me nervous. As a child, I assumed I'd grow out of this fear of the unknown, but unfortunately, it's stuck around into adulthood so far.

I've wondered for a while what it is specifically about the unfamiliar and unknown that causes anxiety in myself or in others, especially when it's in regard to things that aren't that serious. But I think I've figured it out, at least for me.

The fear of the unknown, of doing something unknown, is the fear of failure in disguise.

We live in a very image-conscious world. Social media has conditioned many people into viewing who they are as a brand-- and brands don't make human mistakes. Sure some people's "brands" may be doing pranks or looking silly for the camera, but even those are carefully constructed and edited "failures". A lot of people don't like sharing their messes with others, whether it's from a fear of disappointing someone or being judged.

And that's completely understandable. No one likes messing up, publicly or privately. I know I sure don't.

However, this avoidance of making a mistake can sometimes become so controlling in our lives that we're afraid of trying anything new, even if it's something we really want to try. We let the voice of our "what-ifs" overrule our logic.

You may want to take a cooking class, but the embarrassment of burning something in front of your peers is holding you back.

You may want to take a different career route, but the fear of rejection during interviews keeps you in your current job that you don't even like.

You want to get back into dating, but what if that person says no?

Every new thing we try has the potential to not work out, at least not right away. Most people don't nail it on their first attempt no matter how it may look on their Instagram. Those individuals you look up to who try new things and live with spontaneity don't behave that way because they're "perfect" at everything they do and never mess up.

It's because they've managed to shake off their fear of failure. They don't let potential humiliation or frustration hold them back. They brush themselves off, refocus, and try again.

To err is human, as Alexander Pope once said.

We all make mistakes. You, me, and that fitness influencer who seems to have their whole life put together. Big or small, you will face failure, and you will face it even more when you are trying something new or are placed in an unfamiliar position. It's okay to not like it; I don't think anyone likes messing up.

But don't be afraid to slip up. Be brave enough to try again, and bold enough to jump into the unknown, again and again.

Love y'all!

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."--Deuteronomy 31:6