Responding to Fear: Finding the Courage to Run

FEAR. Although it’s just a short four letter word it can be a substantial obstacle between you and your goals…between you and your happiness. Like in a horror movie, fear can paralyzed you to the point where you can’t move an inch or it can motivate to run faster than you ever have before in order to change your circumstances. The good news is it’s not one or the other. At any point in time you can find the courage to act and run, overcoming the fear. I know from experience.

My youngest son, Robbie, was born with hydrocephalus, a condition in which there is a build up of cerebral spinal fluid in the ventricles in his brain. He underwent his first brain surgery with 24 hours of birth to place a shunt to drain the excess fluid. At this time, we were told that Robbie had severe brain damage and were given the grim prognosis that he would never walk, talk or even have the ability to know the sky is blue. The fear overwhelmed me. I felt so blessed to have this sweet little guy but at the same time so helpless.

Over Robbie’s first year he made TERRIFIC progress hitting his major developmental milestones, but yet I still held onto the original prognosis and the fear that came with it. Every time I was alone in my car, I would cry. I mean full out bawl. I had let the naysayers, the negativity and the fear in my head. I felt like I was living life holding my breath, waiting to see what was next and trying as hard as can be to stay in my comfort zone. Life had pushed me outside my comfort zone and I wanted so badly to regain my sense of normalcy. I was paralyzed by fear and not moving forward.

One day I was writing a “Share Your Story” article for the Hydrocephalus Association and I jotted down that “The prognosis we were given couldn’t be further from our reality.” There was something about putting this phrase out in the universe that was freeing. I started to realize all the areas in my life that had been impacted by my fear and that in reality there was nothing to be afraid of. At that moment I made the decision to RUN…to push myself to get outside my comfort zone on MY TERMS.

The fact of the matter is the fear and negativity were all in my head. No one is free from challenges or scary situations in life, but it’s up to us to chose how we react. Don’t give into the fear….RUN…stay focused on what’s important, stay positive and believe in yourself. The rest will fall into place! It always does!!! 😊