In the early days of my recovery, the fear of failure consumed me. What if I tried to recover and failed? What if I disappointed my friends and family? What if I ate something and gained a significant amount of weight from just one meal, or even just one day? These thoughts tormented me. They were irrational, but they felt so real, like a monster lurking in my mind, whispering doubts and fueling my fears. I asked myself: If I fail, does that mean I am a failure?
The answer is no.
There will be days when you feel strong, and days when you struggle. That’s part of life—nothing stays the same forever. But during those early days, my irrational fears controlled my narrative. Every decision, every meal, every step forward felt like it was weighed down by the possibility of failure. I lived in fear of what might happen, of what I couldn’t control. But then one day, I got tired of letting the "monster" run my life.
I decided to challenge my fears, one by one. I found that each step I took wasn’t as terrifying as I had imagined. The monster in my head had exaggerated things. With every step forward, I listened to my fears, understood where they were coming from, and slowly began to overcome them. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.
Fear Is Normal—And It's Okay
It’s okay to be scared sometimes. Fear is a natural part of our brain’s way of keeping us safe. But sometimes, that safety mechanism goes overboard. It tells us things that aren’t true, like how one meal will make us gain a bunch of weight or how one failure means we’ll never succeed. These voices can be so loud and convincing that we lose sight of what really needs attention in our lives.
What’s underneath that fear? Often, it’s something deeper—a vulnerability, a past hurt, or a need for control. If your fears are holding you back from pursuing your dreams or taking care of yourself, it may be time to take a closer look. Each of us has an “inner voice” that tries to chip away at our confidence, making us believe we aren’t capable. But what if we did something different? What if we learned more about our fears so we could face them head-on?
What It Means to Be Brave
When I think about overcoming fear, I think about bravery. But what does it really mean to be brave? Morgan Harper Nichols describes it perfectly: “Bravery is the audacity to be unhindered by failures, and to walk with freedom, strength, and hope, in the face of things unknown.”
To me, bravery means looking at the unknown—at your fears—and saying, “Not today.” It’s deciding not to be held back by the what-ifs. What if you faced the unknown, took a step forward, and gave yourself the chance to succeed? If you don’t try, failure is guaranteed. But if you do try, there’s a 50/50 chance of success. Even if your path isn’t linear, that’s okay. Failure is only permanent if you allow it to be.
You’ve made it this far, and that’s something to be proud of. Whatever your "monster" is, don’t let it rob you of your dreams for tomorrow. What would it mean for you to be brave, to get to know your fears rather than run from them?
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
It’s okay to be scared sometimes. Fear is part of the journey, but it doesn’t have to control you. If you take the time to face your fears, learn from them, and move through them, you’ll discover strength you didn’t know you had.
And you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here to help. Let’s work together to face your fears, challenge your doubts, and take the next step toward the future you deserve.
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