Take the plunge, but do it afraid!

They say taking a cold shower is very good for your health. Very high on the list of things to do if you want to live to a ripe old age, right next to drinking say eggs for breakfast. Here's the thing- i don't buy it!
Even though my health conscious friends insist it has the potential of increasing my lifespan by one whole year! What's one year vis a vis sixty or seven spent sipping eggnog every morning and shivering in anticipation of jumping into cold shower? Life's too short, i say.

Cold Showers
When it comes to cold showers, though, i've said my dues during those holiday trips upcountry as a child. It was considered a waste of wood fuel to heat water for a bath. "What?! Bathe with hot water? How?!" my grandmother would ask in shock that one could even contemplate such a 'luxury'. And so we would make our way to the open air mabati bathroom at the end of her vegetable garden witha pail full of cold water in hand. It would take me almost an hour to take the bath, but not on account of enjoying the experience.
Once safely enclosed inside the rickety bathroom, i would spend several minutes giving myself a pep talk on the bendits of cold showers. "it wouldn't kill you," i would reason with my young self. "indeed, it might even be good for you." I would then think about my able bodied cousins who didn't seem any worse for having taken cold showers all their lives. Then to a silent chanting of "YES I CAN! I KNOW I CAN!", i would take the plunge. Those first moments when the cold river water hit warm skin were the hardest, and it took every ounce of willpower not to scream out.
After moments of furious shaking, with the next cup of water, the body adjusted and it became easier, even fun at times. Those shivering moments before the bath taught me that there are some things one can't put aside simply because of the fear of doing it. One must learn to do what they fear, while in the dear. Waiting for the fear to end it futile!
As a response, fear can be a good thing as it keeps us from dangerous situations. However, there are many more times when it's limiting and immobilising factor that keeps us from the life we desire. Almost every entrepreneur who ventures into business recognises the fear, but for many, the vision they have painted helps them break through immobilising barrier. We fear asking for a pay rise because of how that might look to our superiors and then fear what will happen because we didn't ask for a pay rise. We may fear spending the rest of our life with someone because doing so means we forfeit some of our independence. Similarly, the fear of being alone may keep us in a bad relationship.
The thing is, fear is a constant companion in life. Expecting life to be free of fearful situations is counterproductive. The way to deal with fear is to recognise it for what it is: an emotion with the ability to keep us safe. However, it can also keep us chained.
Fear can help us analyse our next action, clarifying our next steps. Going through the barrier of fear is useful because it is usually an unforgettable experience that builds the resolve to help us in moments of self doubt.
Unfortunately, too many of us, stay on the other side of that cold shower. We refuse to move forward, paralysed by fear, waiting for the fear to first end so we can embark on our next course of action.

Part of the process
As anyone who has ever taken a cold shower, bungee-jumped, spoken in public or walked through a gorilla forest knows, the fear, the clenching of teeth, the shaking knees, the pep talk are part of the process. If we are conceived that our actions will bring us to life we desire, we must face and feel the fear. Then we must do it afraid!