That was one of the questions posed to us at the last Cultivate Her meeting. Did you answer that question? Did it give you some insights as to what’s been holding you down or keeping you from dreaming and envisioning what your purpose is? Fear is one of the things that chokes creativity, stifles confidence and attempts to paralyze us.

Often times, fear carries a lot more weight than the thing that we’re actually afraid of happening (or not happening). Margaret Becker quotes in her song “Dear John,” “…the fear of losing you, was much worse than coming true” when referring to something in her past that she was afraid of letting go. Does that ring true in your life?

A lot of times, we stand still because of fear – or even worse, we turn from tackling our fears and moving closer to our purpose and actually run far away from what we’re afraid of. If you look at the book of Joshua in the Bible, the most common phrase in it is “do not fear.” In the original language of many of those passages, you’ll learn that that phrase actually literally translates into “do not run.”

What is in store for you and what you’ve been uniquely created for isn’t necessarily going to be easy – on top of that, you are the only one on the earth designed to do it. So ask yourself, “What am I afraid of?” and then start answering that question. Start assessing your answers and try to look at your fears objectively – get other perspectives from people around you with whom you feel safe and cared for. Then, start to look at your fears through the eyes of someone who has already conquered those fears and develop a plan of action.

And ladies, be kind to yourself - baby steps are OK. If you’re afraid of flying, that doesn’t mean you need to go hop on the $50 helicopter ride at the beach – but maybe it means you join a group of friends to go see a play in Chicago and you take your first flight with people who build you up and can walk with you through wanting to turn around and head the other way; they’ll also be there to celebrate with you as you conquer your fear and embrace the confidence needed to continue to overcome it.

So much like the questions asked to us last week, what is one step you could take this month to work toward your dream? As Henry David Thoreau stated, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the live you have imagined.”

The only think stopping you from conquering your fears is you surrendering to them. Surround yourself with people who will help you tackle your fears, and go confidently toward the dream that’s been appointed to you.