POETRY: FEAR

Is not an emotion.

It’s a smokescreen, obscuring

Something bigger, deeper,

More fundamental.

Instead of yielding to this imposter,

Get curious;

explore.

Being afraid is an opportunity.

Fear whispers to you to give in, hide

And remain where you’ve always been:

Stuck, stagnant,

Safe, but—unhappy.

Yearning for something else

You know is possible,

Something is waiting for you,

The version of yourself you wish you could be.

A promise of greatness,

Something special.

You know so well,

It can’t be found

If you don’t take the chance to look.

Let your fear be your catalyst

For growth. For accomplishment.

There are great things waiting for you

If you stop holding yourself back

Waiting for someone or something else

To reach out—

To tell you what to do.

Dig deeper.

Look closely at what makes you resist, shrink back, conform

And push through to what lies beyond.

It’s the secret to everything.

To everything you’ve wanted all along.