e close by. What are you afraid will happen? Is this really as life threatening as it feels? Could you get some support so you’re not going there alone? What would make the new thing so irresistible that you had to go for it?

Susan Jeffers recommends ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’ and ‘acting as if’ is a common way of masking fear. I also like the saying that ‘courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.’

At the salsa club, the first on the floor may be the best dancers ‘performing

I was recently delighted to attend my first ball in Bangkok hosted by the New Zealand Society in honour of their national day. The force behind the organisation was Christina and she’d done a spectacular job. It was wonderfully grand and I had a suitably grand dress to match! There are many different nationalities in Bangkok and after the initial ‘where are you from’ conversation we tend to blend together into one ‘ex-pat community’. Until that is it comes to our celebrating. The lamb and great wine were no surprise, however the powerful Maori welcome ceremony, the Ambassadors being called by their first names and the dancing was more of a shock for my British mind.

Let me take that back! The dancing itself wasn’t shocking. Everyone appeared to be having fun and we generally sang along to the same classics. It was when it started. We were all seated, the wine had just been poured, the first course was served and the band began playing. Half way into my smoked salmon I turned around to find the dance floor was packed!

What had suddenly caused people to abandon this wonderful food and rush to the dance floor risking potential indigestion? Well they seemed inspired by the music, eager to flirt with their partners and friends and express themselves. I too was enthused and it wasn’t long before I followed.

When was the last time you were first on the dance floor? When were you so inspired and passionate you just had to go for it? When were you last creative, uninhibited and oblivious to all but your immediate surroundings? When were you last in the ‘flow’ with all your natural energies?

My experience in the UK is even those who aren’t ‘waiting for the alcohol to kick in’ would be afraid to look foolish by being the first on the dance. FEAR, the enemy of creative expression, rules. If the dancing Queens and Kings at this ball were afraid it certainly didn’t show!

How about if you’re holding back from other areas of your life? If this is something you feel inspired and passionate about but you’re holding back, fear will be close by. What are you afraid will happen? Is this really as life threatening as it feels? Could you get some support so you’re not going there alone? What would make the new thing so irresistible that you had to go for it?

Susan Jeffers recommends ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’ and ‘acting as if’ is a common way of masking fear. I also like the saying that ‘courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.’

At the salsa club, the first on the floor may be the best dancers ‘performing’

se, however the powerful Maori welcome ceremony, the Ambassadors being called by their first names and the dancing was more of a shock for my British mind.

Let me take that back! The dancing itself wasn’t shocking. Everyone appeared to be having fun and we generally sang along to the same classics. It was when it started. We were all seated, the wine had just been poured, the first course was served and the band began playing. Half way into my smoked salmon I turned around to find the dance floor was packed!

What had suddenly caused people to abandon this wonderful food and rush to the dance floor risking potential indigestion? Well they seemed inspired by the music, eager to flirt with their partners and friends and express themselves. I too was enthused and it wasn’t long before I followed.

When was the last time you were first on the dance floor? When were you so inspired and passionate you just had to go for it? When were you last creative, uninhibited and oblivious to all but your immediate surroundings? When were you last in the ‘flow’ with all your natural energies?

My experience in the UK is even those who aren’t ‘waiting for the alcohol to kick in’ would be afraid to look foolish by being the first on the dance. FEAR, the enemy of creative expression, rules. If the dancing Queens and Kings at this ball were afraid it certainly didn’t show!

How about if you’re holding back from other areas of your life? If this is something you feel inspired and passionate about but you’re holding back, fear will be close by. What are you afraid will happen? Is this really as life threatening as it feels? Could you get some support so you’re not going there alone? What would make the new thing so irresistible that you had to go for it?

Susan Jeffers recommends ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’ and ‘acting as if’ is a common way of masking fear. I also like the saying that ‘courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.’

At the salsa club, the first on the floor may be the best dancers ‘performing

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What had suddenly caused people to abandon this wonderful food and rush to the dance floor risking potential indigestion? Well they seemed inspired by the music, eager to flirt with their partners and friends and express themselves. I too was enthused and it wasn’t long before I followed.

When was the last time you were first on the dance floor? When were you so inspired and passionate you just had to go for it? When were you last creative, uninhibited and oblivious to all but your immediate surroundings? When were you last in the ‘flow’ with all your natural energies?

My experience in the UK is even those who aren’t ‘waiting for the alcohol to kick in’ would be afraid to look foolish by being the first on the dance. FEAR, the enemy of creative expression, rules. If the dancing Queens and Kings at this ball were afraid it certainly didn’t show!

How about if you’re holding back from other areas of your life? If this is something you feel inspired and passionate about but you’re holding back, fear will be close by. What are you afraid will happen? Is this really as life threatening as it feels? Could you get some support so you’re not going there alone? What would make the new thing so irresistible that you had to go for it?

Susan Jeffers recommends ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’ and ‘acting as if’ is a common way of masking fear. I also like the saying that ‘courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.’

At the salsa club, the first on the floor may be the best dancers ‘performing

s? When were you last in the ‘flow’ with all your natural energies?

My experience in the UK is even those who aren’t ‘waiting for the alcohol to kick in’ would be afraid to look foolish by being the first on the dance. FEAR, the enemy of creative expression, rules. If the dancing Queens and Kings at this ball were afraid it certainly didn’t show!

How about if you’re holding back from other areas of your life? If this is something you feel inspired and passionate about but you’re holding back, fear will be close by. What are you afraid will happen? Is this really as life threatening as it feels? Could you get some support so you’re not going there alone? What would make the new thing so irresistible that you had to go for it?

Susan Jeffers recommends ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’ and ‘acting as if’ is a common way of masking fear. I also like the saying that ‘courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.’

At the salsa club, the first on the floor may be the best dancers ‘performing

e close by. What are you afraid will happen? Is this really as life threatening as it feels? Could you get some support so you’re not going there alone? What would make the new thing so irresistible that you had to go for it?

Susan Jeffers recommends ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’ and ‘acting as if’ is a common way of masking fear. I also like the saying that ‘courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.’

At the salsa club, the first on the floor may be the best dancers ‘performing’ or they could be eager students practicing. Being a ‘learner’ is an excellent attitude for life. How would it be if you were practising, experimenting, learning and playing in life? Could this take some of the fear out of your adventures? Could it make new actions less risky? Could it propel you onto that dance floor?

Whether it’s the dance floor, new project, new business, new location, new career or the dating scene you’re holding back from, I invite you to be a ‘courageous person in training’. Go for it! Oh and remember to have fun in the process!

(This article first appeared in Soul Sanook Secrets, a monthly enewsletter. To sign up please visit www.soulsanook.com)