Lessons on fear from the world of potty training

I was in the ladies room at Panera Bread today and heard a mom talking to her little girl. The girl was afraid to use those big huge toilets. (Can you blame her? Can you imagine crawling up on a toilet that is as high as your rib cage? Scares me!)Anyhow, the little girl looked at her choices - 1.) use a HUGE toilet 2.)wet her pants - then listened to her mother's encouragement and chose to go for it. She gathered up her courage and used the big pottie!

Now we can easily sit here and say it was no big deal and there wasn't anything to be afraid of, and we are right. Here's the kicker though, the same thing is true for 95% of our own fears. Think about it. What are you afraid to do? You know there's something. There is something you can do that would move you forward, closer to a goal or dream, and you don't do it because you're afraid.

Are you afraid to ask for help? Afraid to make a phone call? Afraid to change jobs? Afraid to move? Afraid of sharing your talents?

I understand because I have my own fears. And our fears feel just as real, but are just as unfounded as the little girl's fear of the potty. So I'm going to take some inspiration from this little girl and face one of my fears today. I guess that means I have to go because I have a phone call to make. Good luck with your potty!