​Whether it is the fear to be great, or the fear of failure; one thing I have learned is you use it, you lose it, or you confuse it. You confuse fear with a logical belief of unreadiness. So you begin to formulate reason after reason why you do not have what it takes to be happy in the way you believe you deserve.

This can show up in various areas of life from dreams deferred or opportunities just outright missed. The excuses we tend to use are time, connections, and support (or the lack thereof). We say, “I can’t do that because obviously, I’m getting too old”.. When has 20 something ever been too old? If you are breathing, you are NOT too old. We say, “I don’t know the who’s who of my industry”, we also say, “Well, there’s already someone doing this exact thing better than me.”

These are the thoughts we hang up in our rooms and look at before we go to sleep, and as we rise. I know I did for a solid year straight (post college graduation), I waged a war against my dreams.. like who does that? Where do they do that at? I had many self depleting tactics and I got way too good at them. Growing up, I was fearless and confidence was kind of my thing. Then along came the 20 somethings, I never saw them coming. (Laughs)

I began to prolong the pursuit of my passions. I began this year long roller coaster of...Okay, “I am SO ready” to “Who am I kidding, I am so NOT ready”. I completely exhausted every human in my life who cared, loved, and believed in my abilities... including myself.

I got so tired of fear that hell, I gave fear a face, and I was sooooo ready for fear to catch the proverbial paint. Fear totally deserved a karate chop to the throat, I.. could.. not.. take.. another day of feeling unworthy of the things I desired most.

So I decided to make a cognitive decision that, “Hell No, Fear Must Go” (chants and throws fist to the sky). I decided that fear could not live here, I had to change the locks, pack up all of fears belongings and put them on the curb. Though fear was a negative emotion and we NEVER got along, I knew fear would still be shocked to see me move on. So I wrote Fear a 7 word letter for closure, “Fear, you have been replaced with faith.”

I encourage you to take step towards your passion every day. Motivate yourself with the love of your passion. Fear’s most over used tactic is the prolonging of one’s pursuit of their passion. Do not be a victim of fear, but a victor over fear.

See you later,

XO

E.Gray