In Others’ Words: Releasing Fear

Beth Vogtcourage, In Others' Words, Writing 5 Comments

Releasing Fear 2016

You know how someone says something and their words just reverberate in your mind and heart for days afterward?

That’s what happened to me this past Saturday when I attended a local writer’s group. Author (and friend) Cara Putman spoke to the group via Skype and early on she said, “Let go of the fear of being wrong.”

Cara said a lot of other valuable, insightful, encouraging things, but these seven words stayed with me. I knew from the moment I wrote them down that I’d be sharing them with you all on this blog. How could I not? Yes, Cara was speaking within the context of being a writer, but this truth is applicable to everyone, even if the only thing you write is a grocery list or a monthly rent check.

Let’s face it: We’re all going to be wrong at some point. But the fear of being wrong — that can hold us back from so many things …

  • from pursuing a dream
  • from trying something new
  • from trying again when things haven’t worked out the way we hoped
  • from speaking up when everyone else is silent
  • from stepping outside our comfort zone into that beautiful area where life begins 

 

The next time fear shows up and grabs ahold of me, I need to shake off it’s grip. I need to admit that yes, I could do or say something and end up being wrong — or being perceived as wrong by someone else. But fear doesn’t get to decide what I do or do not do. 

In Your Words: How do you get past the fear of being wrong? 

[Tweet “In Others’ Words: Releasing Fear #InOthersWords #lifequotes #bebrave”] [Tweet “”Let go of the fear of being wrong.” via @CaraPutman #quotes #amwriting #courage”]

 

Comments 5

  1. It’s easy for me to get past the fear of being wrong, because I was only wrong about something once in my life.

    On that occasion, I had thought I had been mistaken about something, and it turned out that I had been right after all.

    Seriously, the fear f being wrong went away when I realized that everyone else is afraid of being wrong as well, and that they weren’t paying all that much attention. I was not in The Center Of The Circle, and any idiocy I perpetrated would be quickly forgotten.

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      1. They pay attention in a positive way when we youch their hearts, or illuminate the true nature of their fears in a hopeful light.

        Sure, there are the trolls who will tear down anything…but no one really pays attention to them.

        There is a lot of ‘positive’ in the way the world works. Folks want to look up, and to see a way to climb into the sunlight…and we, as writers, can help them.

        And then, they will remember us.

  2. I’m like Andrew–I’ve never been wrong either but once and that was a mistake. lol. Sometimes I should be afraid to say something with what comes out of my mouth. But then it becomes comic relief for everyone else.

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