"Safety in a Prison of Fear" (ELS)

“Every time we choose safety, we reinforce fear.” - Cheri Huber

“Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive -- the risk to be alive and express what we really are.” - Don Miguel Ruiz

My New Year’s Resolution for 2009 was to begin to live life to the fullest—more specifically not to let the self imposed demons of fear, doubt, and worry stifle my growth as an individual and distract me from achieving my goals and aspirations. Despite my keen insight, to identify these reoccurring obstacles in my life the act of eliminating them from the dialogue of my decision making process is easier said than done.

So what should I do to combat these (what seem to be) natural feelings to make safe and strategic moves throughout life? Growing up my parents were the biggest advocates for the American Dream Narrative. They consistently preached to me that if I worked hard and did well in school I would have opportunities to do whatever you want. I’ve found that this isn’t completely true, if fear is a chief adviser in your decision making process.

Now it is true that you will be exposed to more opportunities, jobs and experiences that individuals from lower classes aren’t privy too, but it also feels sometimes that when you open those doors of opportunities they immediately lock behind you as you walk through. Maybe this is a self-imposed prison that I have locked myself due to the fear I have that others may not accept a decision to leave a good job—even if I’m confident that it’s not my passion.

And as I stay in my “prison” I pace around and have introspective debates concerning what the next chapters in my life should look like—all the while knowing I have the “key” to my freedom but not utilizing it due to the fear of the unknown. You see I know what lies in this prison or better yet this “box” of what is success. But I must strive to remind myself that even though on the outside I’m labeled with having, a good (safe) job, good (safe) neighborhood, good (safe) family, good (safe) wife, good (safe) social class—it still means that I could be missing out on the great (or better yet fulfilling) life that God has for me.

But this could just be me…Thoughts Everette?