Take risks in life

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Most of us feel secure with the tried and tested. The unknown is always scary because we don’t know what to expect and whether we can handle it. Whether it is career choices for our children, business choices for us, matters of the heart or charting a new course in an organisation or attempting something new, or taking risks or doing things differently or getting used to radical change, we chicken out.

As Marilyn Ferguson pointed out, “It’s not so much that we are afraid of change or so in love with the old ways. But it is that place in between that we fear. It is like being between trapezes. It is like Linus (the character in the comic strip Peanuts) when his blanket is in the dryer. There is nothing to hold on to.”
The one regret I have in life is not learning to swim. I could never let go of the side bars — water made me so insecure and a coach’s cruel technique of making students stand at the edge of the pool every morning and jump in to get over the fear didn’t work.
In love and in friendship too, once we have been disappointed, we become somewhat disillusioned and forever wary. We don’t want to place our trust and are reluctant to extend our hand of friendship because it involves courting the unknown again and we don’t want any shocks.
One major reason why people don’t embrace the unknown is the fear of failure, fear of unpleasant experiences, fear of losing what we hold dear, fear of hardships and change. If we succumb to fears about the unknown, we are forever paralysed. Our ability to function in the present is grossly affected.
So it would be worth it if we could snap out of the mode, grab the fear with both hands and deal with it. Gather all the info about the matter on hand and make informed decisions. Practice makes one perfect (even with something like a new laptop or a new cell phone). Learn to welcome change.
Remember the universe is not out to settle scores with us. We may not always get what we want. But if we enjoy life as it unfolds, we can overcome our fears. As Joel Osteen said, “Faith activates God, fear activates the enemy.”