What fears have you overcome and how?
What Fears Have You Overcome and How?
I’ve overcome quite a few fears.
Well… “overcome” might be a strong word.
Let’s say we’ve signed a peace treaty and occasionally exchange awkward nods.
The biggest one?
The Fear of Not Being Enough
Not smart enough.
Not successful enough.
Not pretty enough.
Not productive enough.
At one point, I was collecting “not enoughs” the way some people collect souvenirs.
The Fear of Being Judged
I used to think everyone was watching my every move.
Turns out, most people are busy wondering if they’re being judged.
A surprisingly humbling discovery.
And let’s not forget the fear of failure.
The funny thing about failure is that it spends years terrifying you, then finally shows up and says,
“That’s it? You were afraid of me?”
Most of the disasters I imagined never happened.
The ones that did happen taught me something useful.
Rude, but useful.
I also feared speaking my mind.
So I stayed quiet.
Nodded politely.
Rehearsed arguments in the shower three days after the conversation ended.
You know, the usual.
Over time, I learned that being misunderstood is uncomfortable, but losing yourself to keep everyone comfortable is worse.
The fears didn’t disappear.
They just got tired of running the show.
And I got tired of giving them front-row seats.
Making Peace With Fear
Now when fear knocks on the door, I let it in, offer it tea, listen politely, and then continue doing what I was going to do anyway.
Because courage isn’t the absence of fear.
It’s realizing that fear is a terrible life coach.
And honestly?
The fear I’ve truly overcome is the fear of being imperfect.
These days, I’m less interested in being enough for everyone and more interested in being myself.
It’s cheaper, less exhausting, and requires significantly fewer existential crises.
That’s growth.
Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself. 🙂
—Rajeshwari 🧿💕
© Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved
Resonates with me.
What a wonderfully honest and relatable reflection. I especially loved your line about making a “peace treaty” with fear—it captures so perfectly how growth often works. Fear rarely disappears completely, but we learn not to let it make our decisions for us.
Your observations about judgment, failure, and the exhausting pursuit of being “enough” are both insightful and comforting.
A beautifully honest reflection. Fear rarely disappears it simply loses its authority when we stop letting it make our decisions. The realization that imperfection is not a flaw but part of being human is perhaps the greatest freedom of all. 🙏
Beautifully said Vijay ji. 🙏
Fear may stay, but it doesn’t have to be in charge. And the moment we embrace our imperfections, we give ourselves permission to simply be human. 🤍✨
Hi, Rajeshwari!
When you’re being courageous, you realize that fear is, indeed, a terrible life coach 👍 That’s great that you overcame some fears!
Have an amazing day as you are! ☺️✨️
Thank you so much for your kind words! 😊
You’re absolutely right fear is a terrible life coach. The moment we stop letting it make our decisions, we discover how much stronger we truly are.
Wishing you an amazing day as well, filled with peace, courage, and beautiful moments. ✨☺️
You’re most welcome! ☺️
Exactly 👍 Letting fear make our decisions on our behalf is a weakness. So, not letting fear make our decisions is a strength.
Thank you so much! You made me smile ☺️
Fear keeps us human 😅
I think it’s one trait that connects all of us. No one can say they’re entirely fearless, can they?
That is growth indeed and it’s good 😄👍