Forget gory horror films, supernatural novels or things that go bump in the night… what makes you REALLY scared?
For most people, myself included, the things that are the scariest are the things we worry about before we sleep, the decisions we agonize over taking and the actions that seem too terrifying to contemplate let alone do. We are all afraid of something.
Being scared is natural, they don’t call it fight or flight for nothing. But sometimes the things that scare you the most are exactly what you should be doing. Try as I might I still get scared. I have achieved things I never thought possible by biting the bullet and feeling the fear and doing it anyway but it doesn’t make them any less nerve-wracking to begin with.
I remember being at school dreading the next morning when I had to give a presentation on something, I was half in hysterics with nerves desperately begging my mum to call up and pretend I was sick. She didn’t. I went, took a deep breath and gave the talk (it’s stupid but I can’t even remember what it was about now but at the time this was my world) and actually it wasn’t half as bad as I’d built it up to be in my mind. I guess that’s the same with a lot of the things that scare us, they will never be as fear inducing as they are in our subconscious.
I was nearly cacking myself before launching myself out of a tiny aeroplane as I did my first ever skydive. I even tortured myself the night before the jump by googling parachute deaths and accidents. But I did it. The feeling during and afterwards was indescribable especially as I survived and actually *gasp* enjoyed myself.
I was scared when I went solo backpacking after being left jilted before my wedding. Worries and doubts about how I would survive, would I be safe, what if something awful happened, maybe I should forget this silly idea and carry on with my normal comfortable routine. But deep down there was no way I wouldn’t be going. Yes I was scared but to stay put and forever thinking what if would have been even more petrifying.
I am scared about my novels being out in the world. This time next year I will have had three books published. My little babies that I’ve been nurturing, will be flying off in the world to whatever compliments or critiques they will be met with. This truly scares the bejeezus out of me but I have done my very best, I had a great team of support and if I don’t take that step into the unknown then I will always kick myself for not trying to achieve my childhood dream of being a writer. I owe it to little Katy to do this.
Until you give it a go then you will never know. So, my lovely lot this Halloween stop being scared and instead do the thing that scares you. Go on, be bold brave and courageous I promise it won’t be half as bloodcurdling as you imagine!
