I've been listening to Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic. I bought it because I've really enjoyed listening to her lectures lately. You see, by nature I am a fearful, hypervigilent person. I'm not quite amassing a basements worth of canned goods or anything, but I do allow my mind to cannonball down a rabbit hole of doubt and doom. Most of this is serious impostor syndrome (sprinkled with some traumas along the way). I think things will go horribly wrong because in the past they have.. 

Anyway, Elizabeth's experiences seem somewhat similar to mine when it comes to fear. I'm sure we all feel it. I was recently talking to a fellow photographer about my refugee family project and he said, "you need to make sure these images are seen." I told him I was waiting until I had enough, or a broad enough portfolio. He flat out said, "Don't do that. Get those images out now." Validation feels good. A gentle push feels good. I need to remember to pay that forward to other photographers, or anyone who needs a gentle push. 

Elizabeth says she lives with fear every single day. She says it's good to have it because it's what keeps us alert and safe. However, when it comes to creativity or even daily living, it's often more of an annoying companion. We're not always in mortal danger. And fear ends up paralyzing us or stopping us from exploring anything new. So... I'll keep the companion instead of trying to kill it, and ask it to have a seat and keep quiet unless I'm about to die. Oh... and I'll get those images out. 

Thanks Elizabeth.