When I have a few extra seconds and need a bit of grounding and inspiration, I have been reading from the book On Becoming Fearless by Arianna Huffington. I usually just pick the chapter I need at that time and read - it is easy, chatty reading, but useful. It often just reiterates things we already know, but can't quite seem to remember when we need to. At other times, it offers brand new ideas and perspective and I find myself thinking Aha (to steal from Oprah's Aha! Moment feature in her magazine.
Last night, I was finishing up the chapter Fearless About Money and try to start Fearless about Aging and Illness, but just couldn't, so I flipped to the back of the book and the reading group resources. At the end, there was a list of 10 ten tips on becoming fearless. After reading them, I knew I needed to share them. Use what you can, discard what you can't, but hopefully there is something in this list that will help you through your day.
1. Be true to yourself. Constantly looking over your shoulder for approval means you'll never find it. What's more, you greatly increase your chances of walking into a wall or falling into a ditch - not to mention losing yourself in the process.
2. Turn down the volume of your inner critic. Everyone has one: the obnoxious roommate in your head, always there with the critical, self-doubting comment. But that doesn't mean you have to listen. When the negative judgments start to blare, hit the off switch or down them with your iPod.
3. Look past the glass ceiling to endless opportunity. Preoccupation with impediments allows us to climb only so high. Keep your mind open to new adventures and you'll surpass every expectation.
4. Use the mirror to make sure your lipstick isn't smudges, not to judge your value as a person.
5. Stop comparing yourself to others – it's a no win game. And especially stop comparing yourself to supermodels, who don't even look like the perfectly lit and airbrushed supermodels we usually see in magazines.
6. Get enough sleep. It is next to impossible to be fearless – or to be your best self – if you are sleep deprived. A good pillow is a vital addition to any beauty regime.
7. Slip into an air of self-assurance. Fearlessness is sexy. So is confidence.
8. Run, swim, bike, hike, do yoga, or hit the gym. And fill your lungs with fresh air. Never forget – you can go weeks without food, days without water, but only mere minutes without breathing.
9. Be assertive in love. Know what you want out of a relationship and have the courage to express yourself to get it. And if you don't get it – and if the other person can't even handle the mere expression of your needs – be strong enough to walk away.
10. Always remember: True fearlessness comes from a deep and complete acceptance of ourselves – not from what we wear, or how we look, or what we do, or what we accomplish.
If any of these hit home, you may like the book as much as I do.
Happy Friday!
