Today, I want to introduce you to a very close friend of mine. Florence Elizabeth Always Right…FEAR. 

I have always admired people who trust themselves to step out and do their own thing. I often wondered if they simply don’t have the fear mechanism I have to hold them back. But that’s not true…we all have that part of us that wants to keep us safe. 

One way I have learned to manage fear is to personify it. This allows me to distance myself from the fear and lean into self-trust. 

So let me tell you about Florence. 

She’s a skinny, uptight bitch in a pencil skirt, her hair always perfectly and tightly wound up on the top of her head with a pencil sticking out of one side. She has black framed glasses, and is hell bent on everything being perfect and in order. 

She’s afraid of not being perfect…not being liked or accepted, of being dismissed, and unloved. She’s quite the control freak, trying to keep everyone and everything in order so we can feel safe. And hiding behind the need for perfection is the fear of being shamed. She’s quick to remind me of the risk we take everytime I try something new and does her best to keep me from doing it. 

Truth is, I love Florence. I love having conversations with her about what’s next and letting her voice her fear. This allows me to get really clear about what I’m doing and why. 

What I know now is the opposite of fear isn’t courage. It’s trust. Self-trust. Knowing I will always have my own back, I will always be okay no matter what the outcome. 

Florence got really fired up about a year of love letters because she can’t control the outcome. So we have an agreement. She rides in the back seat and can chatter away as she wants while I drive this life. I am in charge of the choices and decisions. 

Have you ever considered visualizing the fear within you, or overwhelm or anxiety. It’s a brilliant way to distance yourself and be able to hear the fear and step into your dream all the same. 

XO

Thinking about turning towards your fears and creating something new in your life…Women Writing Their Lives is perfect for you!

Here’s a few benefits of this experience…

• A safe space to explore your personal narrative
• Make peace with your fears
• Learn to trust and value yourself without reservation…and
• Be part of a community of like-hearted women on this journey with you
• Expert guidance for this self-discovery journey