February 3
Does fear of HOW hold you back?
There once was a dreadful fear that HOW feared,
When, where, what , why also appeared.
The truth must be told,
For the plan to unfold.
The answers come after you’ve pioneered.
How? How can be a debilitating question to answer at certain times. When I was growing up I used to wonder, “how could my mother let us starve” until my father came home from work.” He never came home at the same time. Sometimes we ate dinner at 5:30 and sometimes not until 8. It may sound trivial but most of us have been enlightened with the fact that children need consistency. Something basic as a routine supper time produces a sense of security.
On top of that my father would sit at the table and not speak. How could my father come home after we waited for him to eat, sit down at the table, and not speak? That led to all kinds of insecurities swirling around in the minds of his seven children. Truth be told out of the seven kids none of us liked to be in the seats near dad. At least that is how I felt. It reflected in my quiet and barely audible voice. Feelings are powerful regardless of truth. They dictate all of our actions or reactions in life.
How becomes a way of life. You don’t notice it as a child but it permeates your thinking. How can bring so much uncertainty. You do everything in your power not to pay attention to it. Yet strangely you are giving it all your attention. If you can’t answer how then how do you answer when, or where, or what, or why? How feels like the question that has to be settled before you move to your desired what. If you can’t figure out how to do the what, how can you figure out the why? If you don’t know how and what and why, well how could you ever figure out the when and where?
And if you feel like the child who has no voice you never expect answers to any of your questions. Life is just going to happen to you. Who cares how it happens. That is how I lived for a very long time. I don’t even say that today I have it all figured out but I have learned a very important truth. I don’t need to know the how in everything. It’s okay. I can still move forward and not know how.
I propose this to you today. Do not let How dictate to you that you need all the answers before you do that thing you have wanted to for so long. Just begin. Just do it! Do it afraid. Do it alone if you have to. Do it slow if you need to. But whatever it is do it consistently. Do it now!
I purposed to write a limerick a day with the end result eventually being a yearly daily reader. When it gets published, I don’t know. Where it sells, I couldn’t say. What I write each day develops along the way. Why is maybe the only answer I have because I stopped asking how. Writing makes me happy. This I know as well. I need to let HOW be what unfolds to answer the rest of the questions. Only when I am done can I write how it all came together. Only when I step out and pioneer can I tell you how I did it. I don’t want to dread the fear of how.
Do you need some help in getting past the dreaded fear of HOW? Is there something I can help you with? Send me your question and I will do the best I can to help you.
