Fear is there; I get it. But why not try this – put that fear in the back seat and tell it to sit still while you drive, or you will pull that car over right now! Take a second to be vulnerable, embrace risk, and even make some mistakes. It’s better to test the waters than stand at the shore ruminating about the sea.
When I was in high school, I was on the football team, played first base on the baseball team. I was an athlete, but I also had a good voice – this boy could sing. But I wouldn’t take the risk to sing for others; it was too scary.
I wanted to date a cheerleader, one cheerleader in particular, who was trying out for the choir. One day, after hearing me sing and play around in the hallway, she approached me and asked, “You know what? I’m trying out for the choir. Why don’t you try out with me?” Now even though I probably would have done anything she asked at that point, it gave me an opening to bypass that fear and try out.
I made it; she didn’t, so that relationship didn’t happen. But what did happen was taking that risk. I was doing solos the next year and have had the gift of music in my life ever since. That risk led to reward big time.
