Feel the fear and do...what?

So here's the thing with fear. At its best, it's our higher self telling us to make another choice, and we interpret the signal as fear. Helps us avoid unnecessary dark alleys or golf games in lightning storms. At its worst, it paralyzes us and shrinks our list of options to nothing. Whateve the area of the fear (heights, reptiles, flying, etc), we avoid completely, and when we're forced to encounter it, it wipes us out. That's the phobia end of it.

Somewhere in between are the fears that discourage us. These are often the vague fears (as in hard to pin down or define--they aren't necessarily vague to the person feeling them!) like fear of not measuring up, fear of failure, fear of some part of the unknown that keeps us in our comfort zone.

If your fear is tangible, reasonable--a phobia, for example (never mind that phobias are not a product of reason. Their validity lies in the undeniable effect they have on people.)--it's up to you to decide if it's worth seeking therapy over. Can you fulfill your dream without addressing your fear? Can you walk your path without facing it? Again, I mean in a practical sense--it would be great to see everyone living lives of fearlessness, but really? If your path can be walked without you being desensitized to airplane travel, don't wait.

For the moment, at least, we're concerned with whatever it is that keeps you in your comfort zone. Hate crowds? The thought of giving speeches paralyzes you? Will your path be best served if you get over it? If so, can you start anyway?

Here's a tricky one (I do battle with this one, so I know first-hand how it can stop you): are you afraid you don't know enough? Do you feel like you need to have a pile of letters and certifications behind your name before you can serve? In this case, you need to know what IS enough (law school to be a lawyer, any more), and what's an excuse (the same lawyer does not necessarily need a master of laws degree). This kind of fear can keep us from jumping careers midstream, so if it's present for you -- start digging!