Do It Afraid!

Recently, a friend of mine gave me a card with a beautiful note inside. But on the front were seven words written Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"Always do what you are afraid to do."

I looked at those words and thought about how appropriate they were for this particular chapter of my life.

I've always considered myself a fairly adventurous person. I've traveled to foreign countries, wandered through unfamiliar cities, tried new things, and occasionally found myself in situations where I wondered what in the world I had gotten myself into.

But there's a difference between choosing an adventure and having life hand you one you never asked for.

This year has been full of the latter.

I've found myself starting over in ways I never imagined I would at this stage of my life. New surroundings. New routines. New decisions. A future that looks very different from the one I had planned.

And while I love the idea of adventure, I'll admit that some of this has been downright scary.

It's funny how sometimes people think courage is the absence of fear.

We may look at someone traveling alone, making a big change, or stepping into the unknown and think, Wow, they're brave.

But what we don't always see are the moments of uncertainty. The second-guessing. The nights when they wonder whether they're doing the right thing. Let me tell you, I've had plenty of those moments.

Yet something interesting is happening.

Every time I do something that makes me a little uncomfortable, I discover another piece of myself.

I go somewhere alone and realize I enjoy my own company.

I make a decision without asking someone else's opinion and discover that I trust my judgment (at least most of the time).

I spend an evening in my own space and realize that being alone and being lonely are not necessarily the same thing.

And sometimes I take a chance, only to discover that the thing I was afraid of wasn't nearly as frightening as I imagined. Although, if I walk across a bridge that goes over a river, I still walk straight down the middle. That's a tough one for me.

I'm also learning that courage doesn't always appear as some grand gesture.

Sometimes it looks like buying a ticket. Walking into a room alone. Saying no. Saying yes.

And of course, asking for help....... I have to explain this one a little more indepth.

Sometimes asking for help is one of the scariest things for me. Especially when I've spent most of my life being the strong one, the independent one, the person who always figures things out. Somewhere along the way, I convinced myself that needing help is was a sign of weakness, or that asking someone else means we're becoming a burden. Maybe I was afraid of being rejected, judged, or disappointed. Or perhaps I learned from experience that depending on someone else doesn't always end well.

So I kept pushing through, telling myslef, "I've got this," even when I was exhausted. But I'm beginning to realize that there's a different kind of courage in admitting I can't always do everything alone. Asking for help requires me to be vulnerable, to loosen my grip on control, and to trust that someone might actually want to be there for me. And maybe that's the lesson.

Being strong doesn't mean I have to carry everything myself. Sometimes the bravest thing I can say is, "I could use a little help."

Maybe that's what I love most about the card my friend gave me.

It wasn't just the words on the front. It was the reminder that someone cared enough to encourage me during a season of change.

You never really know how much a small act of kindness might mean to someone else.

I'm keeping this card where I can see it.

Not because I expect to stop being afraid.

But because I want to remember that fear doesn't have to make my decisions for me.

There are still so many places I want to see, people I want to meet, and experiences I want to have.

And I bet some of the best ones will begin with a little fear.

After all, a life still unfolding is bound to hold a few surprises. Love to all!

Ruthie 🩶