The cold darkness swooped in as I walked up a cobble-stoned road, my boots tap-tapping. A sound echoed behind me. I stopped to listen. Nothing. I started back on my way. Their was an echo behind me once again, this time I turned when I stopped. A couple passed down a distant road but no others seemed present. I felt like I was in a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde movie. I half expected someone to jump out from one of the gated alleys I passed.

It is easy to let your mind wander and become overwhelmed by the “conclusion-jumping” that takes place. I am cautious to a fault. My self-confidence alone serves as a protector, of sorts. There is not much that scares me. But even with that said, fear can have its way with you, causing an inability to think rationally or exercise good judgement. I arrived at my destnation safely but not before my imagination played a few tricks on me and my previous experiences with horror movies and scary plays almost got the better of me. It is sometimes hard to let go of a bad experience. They line the corners of our minds and have caused even the strongest to weep.

Sometimes down the path of a business deal or split partnership echoes the footsteps of trouble. Do you ignore the sounds, the warnings and hope they will fade into the darkness or just go away? Maybe you are overly cautious and deny and decry any who approach you, as parent, partner, or licensed professional citing problematic differences and demanding clarity at every turn. We each have to find the right way for ourselves. Path-clearing solutions are not always visible nor are we always ready to see them.

Fear can be destabilizing and immobilizing in any situation. Yes, it is good to be cautious. Yes, it is good to be careful and want what is best for your business, partnership or family. But in a sometimes convoluted effort to protect, do you close the right doors, the ones that lead to the freedoms we all seek? Unfortunately, it isn't easy being a grown up and having to make grown-up decisions. In this quest, we can find the courage and strength we didn't even know we had.

Sometimes, the warnings we hear are not the warnings we think they are. They may be unrealistic responses to unfamiliar situations. In my adventures, I have often been bouyed up by reminding myslef that I am strong, knowledgeable, and experienced enough to handle the situation. Around the corner could be the greatest job of your career, the greatest love of your life or the perfect candidate.

For me, it was the best Thai restaurant in London. And boy, was I hungry.

© by rayannethorn