A lot of children have either started school or will be starting school soon. Some kids get excited about the first day of school but others may have anxiety or are just scared to death. Either way, don’t dismiss your child’s feelings by saying something like,”Oh, don’t be a baby.” All of us want to be validated, heard, and to feel safe – children, as well as adults.

Fear can be paralyzing. I haven’t worked on my books or blogs for quite some time. Why? I was afraid. There – I said it! Afraid of what??? – Failure, Success, the Unknown??? Whatever the reason, it has taken me all day to be brave enough to start again, to know I can succeed.

So how did I get past my fear and start back on my journey? I went all the way back to when I was in school; and at 55, that’s a long time ago. I started to list all my accomplishments:

1. I always did my homework and got A’s, even though my life at home was quite stressful.

2. I joined the Glee club even though I couldn’t sing, but singing brought me such joy and I made the club.

3. How could I possibly do a cheer in front of four girls sitting at a table just waiting to judge me? I did it and became a cheerleader.

4. How could I possibly finish college with no money and a broken heart after my fiance cancelled our wedding? But I finished.

5. How could I become a single mom and walk out of an abusive marriage with a daughter in private school? How was I going to live through a divorce with a “Tony Soprano” type man? Well, my daughter and I had a great time together in the new house I bought and although times were tough, she graduated without any loans from one of the best colleges in the NorthEast.

After focusing on my successes, the fear seemed less intimidating. I chose1  thing to do – this post – to get back in the swing of things, and I’m not afraid anymore.

So, here is the challenge:

Write down what you’ve been afraid of. Take the first step to crush the fear. A journey begins with the first step. You may not know the ending but isn’t it worse if you don’t try?Take until Labor Day and list some of your successes. Let us know if you’ve now been brave enough to take that first step and how you felt.

Good luck and I am looking forward to hearing about your progress and if you’ve been able to step ON fear-crushing it OR if it is still crushing you. Fear is a huge hurdle so be kind to yourself if you’re still stuck. Just know – You’re not alone.

As for me – I feel better already!