I’ve been on a journey of self-awareness for a few years now. When I started, my self-awareness was ‘surface level’. Some ‘aha’ moments along the way – the biggest being able to reflect on where I’ve come from and what I’ve achieved to get to where I am today. But I realised that I needed to take my self-awareness to a deeper level. I explored why I’d been reluctant to do this and learnt that it was FEAR. Fear was holding me back from a deeper level of self-awareness. Fear of what I’d discover about myself, my choices, conversations I was avoiding – maybe some hard truths I had to face.

So I’ve been exploring how to step into my Fear and these are some of my reflections:

Fearlessness isn’t about the absence of fear. It’s about feeling the fear, standing in it and choosing to act. In her book ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’, Susan Jeffers talks about ‘Action being the antidote to fear’.

And as anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m the person who ‘gets it done’. So it made sense to me to explore Fearlessness as a way to challenge my Fear. It is now one of my values!

We often imagine Fearlessness as bold gestures, dramatic changes, or loud declarations. But more often, it’s quiet. It’s subtle. It lives in the micro-moments: when you raise your hand in a meeting even though your voice ‘squeaks’. When you say, ‘That’s not okay’ when silence would be easier. When you pitch an idea knowing it might be rejected, or speak your truth knowing it might not be well received.

Courage over Comfort

Comfort keeps us safe. It shelters us. But it can also stunt us. Growth and Comfort rarely coexist. Brené Brown teaches that ‘courage and growth live on the other side of comfort. To live, lead and love with authenticity, you must be willing to sit with discomfort’. Courage asks us to stretch – to leave what’s familiar in pursuit of something more meaningful. That can be scary. When we truly explore what is holding us back from growing, we may not want to step out of comfort.

 

But small steps towards courage might look like:

• Starting something before you feel ‘ready’.
• Saying No when everything in you wants to be liked.
• Asking for help instead of pretending you’re fine (I’m still working on this one)!

 

These aren’t easy choices. They rarely feel natural. But fearlessness isn’t about ease. It’s about integrity. It’s about living in alignment with your values – even when the stakes are high!

 

 

Speaking UP

Silence is comfortable. It can also be complicit!

A big lesson for me was realising that although I had a seat at the table, I didn’t always have the courage to use my voice! This didn’t just impact on how I was viewed as a leader, but also the impact I could make for my team. The people who trusted me to speak when they weren’t in the room.

Fearlessness asks us to use our voice – not for noise, but for impact. To speak up when it’s unpopular. To share the idea that might sound ‘too out there’. To advocate for someone who doesn’t have a seat at the table. Your voice might tremble. Your heart might race. Speak anyway.

 

Taking Risks

I’m fairly risk averse and make decisions based on how risky I deemed them to be. Fearlessness isn’t reckless. It’s Intentional (my word of the year!). It’s the willingness to risk short-term discomfort for long-term growth. It’s the mindset that says ‘I’d rather fail trying than regret never trying at all’.

Risk means exposure – to failure, rejection, uncertainty. In Daring Greatly, Brené Brown talks about ‘Daring greatly is being brave and afraid at the same time’. This is at the heart of what it means to take a risk. To show up and let ourselves be seen – even when we can’t control the outcome. Safe choices keep us in our comfort zone (and rarely change the world). I particularly like her metaphor on ‘the arena’. She talks about ‘stepping into the arena’ – whether that’s a boardroom, relationship or creative endeavour – or a tough conversation – knowing you might fail, be judged or feel exposed – and doing it anyway!

 

 

Stepping Forward

My exploration into fearlessness made me realise that there will never be a perfect or right time. We often think… ‘when I get that next job or when the kids leave home – then I’ll take on that next challenge or I’ll speak up more….’. Fearlessness means acting before you’re ready. Trusting yourself enough ~ digging into your self-belief ~ to take the step, not because you’re unafraid, but because you’re committed.

Progress is rarely made from the side-lines. Whether it’s in your career, your relationships, or your personal growth, forward is the only way.

 

Fearlessness Isn’t Loud. It’s Consistent

It’s showing up. Again and again. It’s choosing to live aligned with your values, not your fears. It’s letting discomfort be a signal, not a stop sign. Susan Jeffers calls it ‘leaning into the discomfort’.

My learning from my exploration of Fearlessness is that It’s not about feeling unafraid. It’s about being brave enough to keep going despite it.