Last week we were all shocked and horrified by the tragic news coming out of France — almost 150 innocent people killed during four different coordinated terrorist attacks throughout Paris.
Just days earlier a suicide bomber detonated their vest in a café in Lebanon, ending 43 lives.
And barely a week before that a Russian Metrojet flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg crashed, killing all 224 people on board. The latest news reports suggest the plane was brought down by a bomb.
Forced to the nether pages of the newspaper but no less important was news of escalating climate change, decreased acreage in the Amazonian rainforest, increased human trafficking, and horrific crimes against women and children around the world.
And here at home we read about more violent deaths in America's urban centers, dropping educational standards in our schools, and increased awareness of the deterioration of our public transportation infrastructure.
It's gotten so bad that the overriding Zeitgeist in at least one of our political parties is to tear the whole system down and start from scratch — boosting the candidacy of first time candidates and political outsiders including Fiorina, Carson, and Trump.
So here's my question:
What the hell are you waiting for?
Why aren't you writing that book, going out on that date, opening that business, starting that exercise program, ending that bad relationship, leaving that dead-end job, learning about social media?
What's stopping you from studying piano, sticking to your diet, banging through your to-do list, calling that old friend, training for that marathon, running for school board, getting rid of all those clothes that don't fit?
What's stopping you from being true to the person you really are?
If you're honest with yourself, your answer in most cases probably comes down to fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the uncomfortable. Fear of failure.
The clinical explanation of a phobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation which the sufferer makes significant efforts to avoid. This avoidance is typically disproportional to the actual danger posed and is often recognized as being irrational. Almost 6.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with this problem. This suggests that the number of undiagnosed people who suffer from unwarranted fears is a lot larger than you might think.
But even putting clinical statistics aside, our irrational responses to our fears are way overblown. A study commissioned by The National Institute of Mental Health (4/27/15) says that 60% of the things we are afraid of will never take place. And that number jumps to 88% when specifically related to health issues.
Looking back over what's been going on in the world over the past few months, you see a whole mess of uncontrollable things that merit our fear yet don't stop any of us from living our lives. Based on the dangers threatened in the media, just waking up and going about your business proves you're already a hero.
Now all you have to do is to use that very same heroism you've already exhibited. Apply it to the things that are holding you back from being exactly who you want to be. Use it to overcome the fear that stops you from doing exactly what you want to do. Because NOW is the time for you to uncover and live your authentic truth. Now is the time to not just be alive but to live your life to the fullest.
The world needs you. The world needs what you have to say. The simple act of living your life out loud is an act of defiance that can inspire and reassure everyone around you.
Now is the time to Encourage The Courage. Now is the time to live.