Each day this week I’ll write a post about a fear that I used to have (some I still have) and how I have dealt with it in order illuminate some of the strange things we allow to get in between us and living a full and productive life.

Love

Accepting love into your life can be a scary thing. I used to think that it was something that I wanted but simply couldn’t find. Now that I have found the love of my life and married her, I’ve realized that—for a long time—I did things to keep myself from being loved by others.

To accept love from others means you must have courage. And be willing to be vulnerable. You have to ask for their love and give your love freely. You must open yourself up to rejection or acceptance. The irony of rejection is that it is almost never about what we think it is about. We think rejection is some sort of painful validation of our unworthiness to be loved(respected, admired, etc.). In reality, it’s a blessing.

Fear of acceptance is facing the possibility of happiness. That possibility comes with the risk of disappointment. That scares people. You just don’t get one without the other. Relationships aren’t always simple. We aren’t always ready for them. Rejection can be a reflection of our need to grow or change into a better version of ourselves. It can also mean we aren’t a fit for our partner. That’s not such a bad thing.

All I can share is that opening myself up to the love, acceptance, and potential rejection of another has dramatically changed my life for the better.

This was my biggest fear. It is also my greatest joy.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my ramblings this week. If any of these admissions resonate with you, I hope you will be encouraged to take a leap of faith and begin to embrace your fear. You just never know what gift you have to contribute to this world that you’ve kept inside because of some irrational fear.

Irrational Fear Week Posts:
Day 1: The Phone
Day 2: Water
Day 3: Travel
Day 4: Eating Alone
Day 5: Public Speaking
Day 6: Flying
Day 7: Love