That small step forward

It’s perfectly natural to be afraid. After all, fear is one of our base instincts, and it’s undoubtedly kept our ancestors alive.

However, it’s only when we allow our fear to become irrational that it hinders our growth. Fear of failure can prevent us from learning. A fear of anything different can lock us in a mental prison of our own making. Fear of danger… Well, that is understandable. There are some dangerous things I’d happily do with the proper precautions in place, but anything that involves animals, explosives, and gravity is right out of the question.

I can’t do anything about the fear of danger, but for everything else, all you have to do is to take a small step forward. A huge “Leeroy Jenkins” lunge forward is probably a step too far, leaving you without a way to get back to your safe space. However, small exploratory steps will allow you to gradually adjust to your new reality while providing you with a safe space to retreat to, if necessary.

Of course, it does help to lunge forward into the unknown. It’s not something you should do all the time, but you’ll know when it’s time to do so. It’s hard to imagine how a seemingly random flashback I had to my primary school days led to me deciding to become a teacher. I’ve had my ups and downs ever since, but I’d like to think I’ve become a better person because of that decision.

I’m still nowhere near perfect, but I feel like I’m becoming a better person with each small step forward into the unknown.