This morning my wife and I were sharing a cup of coffee at an elegant cafe/shop, enjoying a beautiful sunny summer Sunday morning.  A woman came up to the coffee station just beside our table to add cream or milk to her beverage.  She was holding a Lululemon bag which I see all the time in the hands of women around Toronto.  A bolded statement written on the bag caught my eye: "Every day do something that you fear!".  An amazing message, staring right at me.  How often do we go through life avoiding that which we fear.  How often do we avoid pursuing something because of our fears about what this may entail - all of the potential risks and failures and how all of this could make us feel about ourselves and how negatively it could all reflect on us. 

How often do we find that, in fact, all that we were afraid of was just a figment of our imagination, an allusion created by our nervous system and our human fears and insecurities about ourselves and our world.  

Many years ago, I remember reading an amazing book.  In it, the author asks:  if for 24 hours you were given a complete guarantee that you would not fail at anything that you tried or attempted - what would you chose to do?  What decisions would you make?  Which people would you make contact with?  What things in your life would you try or pursue that you had previously were too scared to try or attempt?

Just think how incredible life could be if every day we would try to do all of those things that our fears currently stop us from doing?  How much more could we accomplish?  How much more happiness or fulfillment would we be able to achieve?  I think the answers to these questions are quite mind-boggling if you just think about it.

The fears that limit us on a daily basis, a product of our mind and thoughts are complex and rooted in and influenced by many things.  Among them are all of those past life experiences, positive and negative, from which we have drawn conclusions about the world around us and from which we have derived the confidence, security and faith in ourselves and in the world around us, or lack thereof.  I have observed that for many, with every negative or painful life experience, that confidence in the self and the world, and in one's own incredible potential is diminished and limited.  That idealistic child who at one point believed that anything and everything in the world is possible, is replaced with a fearful, insecure, discouraged and cynical adult.

And so here again is that inspirational message from the Lululemon bag: "Every day do something that you fear!"  Take that important step that you've been avoiding, afraid of failure. Make that important phone-call.  Take on that challenge that up to now you've been too scared to pursue.  Do, try, create and pursue all of those things that your mind has limited you from attempting.  Who knows, you may be surprised by your incredible success, and even more importantly, you will begin to break down those imaginary walls and roadblocks created by your fears.