Fear and Comfort

Opposite Words

Failure.

Comfort.

These two words, at the opposite ends of the spectrum, are both words we as humans relate too nearly everyday. We live in fear of failure, and continue to live our lives in comfort. We spend our lives too worried about what could come from changing our routine, without ever voluntarily leaving the comfort of our zones. What if we decided to live in the fear of failure, and only ever experienced comfort if comfort chose to grace our presence?

Life isn't supposed to be comfortable, however when individuals are asked what kind of salary they want to make, the answer is always this:

Enough for me and my family to be comfortable.

What if we never knew what salary would come with each career path open to us? If we were given that type of opportunity, we would choose the path that followed our dreams. We'd follow our heart, regardless of if we'd be comfortable or not. We would choose what we wanted, based on what made us happy. So many people today choose work solely based on what it provides to us. Less people today are actually following their heart, due to fear of not being comfortable enough. But those who work jobs they regret, may bring in extra cash, but are they comfortable mentally? Are they happy with what they do each and every day? Do they look back on their younger years, praying that they could go back and choose their original dream, rather than following the money?

Fear of failure.

How many times I have said this myself, is uncountable. It's human nature to be afraid of failure, but it is cowardness that overcomes us when we let that single phrase hold us back from our dreams. Was MLK Jr afraid of failing? Absolutely. However, he didn't let that hold him back from following his heart and his dreams of a better society. What if he had succumbed to his fears? Where would America stand today? It makes you think that in the phrase: "America, home of the brave", we're not just referring to our men and women in the military. We're referring to those who faced their fears and overcame them not for the betterment of themselves, but for the betterment of society. Some of our bravest citizens made singular choices, knowing it wasn't the best for them as individuals, but the best for others. We live our lives in fear of harm, failure, and miss out on chances that we could have taken, only regretting the choice to live safely. Our lives shouldn't be controlled by our fears, but motivated by them. The college student who struggles overcoming the fear of not being accepted will never experience the joy of acceptance, by living life behind the "submit application" button. The woman who dreams of a loving partner and family hides behind a "fear of betrayal", never experiencing the moment they take a family photo with her great-grandchildren.