How does fear affect your life?

Last week I sent out an email to our email list that had a great response, so I decided I'd share it with you all. I received quite a few replies back from people, answering a question I posed. It was so inspiring to get a glimpse into their minds, learn about their past, and hear what they hope for in their futures. I hope the question gets you thinking, as well. Here it is:

I recently read a great article from a local wild game and fish chef I follow, Jeff Benda. Jeff actually treated my family and me to a 5 course meal a while back, and it was absolutely incredible.

He served us wildebeest (yes, it’s a real animal), the best goose I’ve ever eaten, a delicious venison dish, fish soup, and more. It was some of the best food I have ever had! (I’ll give Jeff a little plug: if you enjoy wild game meals and great recipes, check out his site.)

Besides cooking amazing food, Jeff also shared some great stories. He’s a man of faith, active in his church, and funnily enough, our daughters share the same name, Lucia. All this to say, I loved getting to know Jeff and I’ve enjoyed following along with his email newsletters ever since.

In the email he recently sent out, Jeff posed a question that really made me stop and think: “If you died tonight, what would you regret not doing?” 

Jeff elaborated by saying that he visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park and heard the story of how Teddy Roosevelt, grieving the loss of both his wife and mother on the same day, went to that land to rebuild himself. Teddy once said: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

It made me think: What would I do right now if fear wasn’t holding me back?

Fear tells us to settle. Fear makes us doubt ourselves. Fear gives us a fixed mindset. Fear convinces us we’re too old, too far gone, too busy, or not ready.

So, to tie this back to fitness, let me ask you:

What would you do today - right now - if fear didn’t exist?

What is it that’s stopping you from getting in the gym, hiring the personal trainer, or taking care of your health? Is it fear of money? Fear that it will be too hard? Fear that you are too old? 

If any of this resonates with you, let this be your nudge to take the first step.

Fear only has a hold on us if we let it. And often, once we start to talk about our fears out loud, they suddenly don't seem as scary. 

Whatever your mind jumped to when you thought about the answer to my above question - what would you do if fear wasn't holding you back? - well, your mind might have jumped to that for a reason. I encourage you to take some time to ponder what it is that you would do, free of fear. (Or maybe, instead of pondering for too long, you could just take that first action step.)

Whatever it is, I'd love to hear about it!

If you'd like to learn more about Rise, what we do, and how we can help you reach your goals, we would love to sit down with you for a Fitness Consultation (which is 100% free!) to chat about your goals, learn your health history, talk about nutrition, and more. No strings attached. You can sign up here to get started.