The key to change... is to let go of fear.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.

Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something.

"It takes courage...to endure the sharp pains of self discovery rather than choose to take the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives."

— Marianne Williamson (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles")

Life is perverse in the sense that, the more you seek security, the less of it you have. But the more you seek opportunity, the more likely it is that you will achieve the security that you desire. ~ Brian Tracy

Instead of viewing our lives and decisions as a series of open and closed doors, perhaps we should see ourselves walking through a corridor. We might be re-routed at times, but we will never get anywhere if we quit walking and stand still, indecisive about where to go next. We should take advantage of every opportunity that God gives us. This is what Paul means in Ephesians 5:16 when he commands us to "redeem the time" -- i.e., take advantage of every opportunity.

The simple fact of acting like you are confident and competent diminishes the fear. When I was starting as an entrepreneur I was very afraid of failing. I found out that in business, doing business is not dangerous. Being incompetent and not being business savvy is dangerous. So I decided to become competent and so I squashed my fear.

Walk through the corridor and see what opportunities God presents. Develop a vision, plan carefully, prepare comprehensively, wisely discern your opportunities, and pursue the openings that arise.

Have a beautiful week!