Jacqueline has that special ability to suggest both realistic and imaginative solutions to problems that seem insurmountable. Her strength and her ability to make me feel that I can really make change was impressive, but her solid capacity to work the miniscule parts of a problem was what really made the difference.

-Adele Barker, Professor of Russian Studies, University of Arizona

Listen to Fearlessly Speaking
every Sunday at 5pm EST

This Weeks Guest is
Frances Cole Jones

BEING FEARLESS IN A CULTURE OF FEAR

We live in a culture of fear that is only too real when you consider the amount of violence in the world. But there is another kind of fear that is primarily imaginary. We fear the worst in our minds. We fear dying, we fear intimate relationships, we fear for our health, we fear for our finances, we fear for any number of things that have not yet happened. And in living in that fear, we curtail a life that could be filled with joy, with desire, with a rich abundance of what is good about the world we find ourselves in. We spend too much time in the what if's of negativity, and not enough time with the what if's of abundance.

So here we are on the anniversary of September 11 once more and perhaps it is time for us to think about moving on. That's not to say we should forget. The memories will always be sharp on that fateful day. We will always remember where we were when we heard or saw the news. I was in Paris at the time, sitting in a small bakery on the corner of the street where my daughter was going to school, having after-school snacks. It was a daily ritual. I will never forget the sharp intake of breath I took as I watched the tower crumble. That memory will be with me forever.

But moving on is so much more than memorializing the departed and the event. It is about taking charge of your own life so that you can start to experience the joy and wonder of living a full life on your terms. I call it creating the life you want. We are all capable of getting tied up in our fears. Of taking them as real. But they are not. They are in our heads. They are not tangible. They are not something we can touch. They are something we can imagine. And if we can imagine the negative, how much more satisfying is it to imagine the positive. To dream and wish for something better in our lives.

For many, living means surviving. We have survived so many challenges, so many ordeals that have made us who we are. We face these challenges with courage, or not. We step up to the events of our lives, and for some, they thrive, but for others, they are merely surviving. We live a half-shelf life. So where are you in this equation? Are you thriving or surviving. What do you choose?

We are all capable of creating joy. It is about choice, and even when it feels like we don't have a choice, we’re choosing to stay where we are. We can easily free ourselves from the glue of discomfort if we really want.

When September 11 occurred, several American friends in Paris said they would have to live their lives much more cautiously. I said if we change the way in which we live because of the threat that exists out there, then the people who want us dead have won. I could not accept that.

So on this September 11, ask yourself where are you fearful. Where are you holding onto the negatives in your life, and how would you like to live your life differently. Living a life of choice is empowering. Being Fearless is not the absence of fear, but the decisions and choices we make when it shows up in our lives.

We must live life on our own terms. That's all that counts.

If you would like help to become a Fearless Fifty, please contact me at info@fearlessfifties.com or visit my website at www.jacquelinewales.com

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