fear as an indicator

i fear as much as the next person. everything from traveling without a gps, to planning a move to an entirely different state. and i notice that this fear of mine can be quite limiting. i begin to make excuses for NOT pursuing the thing i fear, running thoughts through my mind like you can try that yoga position when you become more flexible. just don't stretch yourself now.

and so then i don't do it. i allow myself to stay perfectly content with life just the way it is.

but where do i go from there?

a couple of weeks ago, it all made sense. while reading through one of my favorite blogs, not without salt, i was inspired by a passage she included from The Art of War:

"are you paralyzed with fear? that's a good sign. fear is good. like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. fear tells us what we have to do. remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it."

fear is an indicator. wow!

strangely enough, the first fear that popped into my head was homemade yogurt. you know, that non-threatening white stuff you eat for breakfast. i always feared making my own, forcing myself to believe that i will forever be a consumer of the product. the precise temperatures; the live cultures; the cheesecloth; the process...the HORROR!

feeling inspired, i knew i had to tackle it. face my fear and be a producer. homemade yogurt.

the planning

the assembly

two worlds collide

the incubating

the straining

the happy girl

i have to admit, this homemade-yogurt-nonsensical-fear of mine turned out to be a very fulfilling experience. witnessing the process of single ingredients come into form, over the course of a day, was pretty amazing. and yummy. i know that this may sound like a total yawner to some, but to me, well, i feel immense accomplishment. that everyday business in the refrigerator no longer has to be bought, day in and day out. instead, i can create. and i can do it without fear.