The modern man isn’t without fear. However, there are things he does despite his fears because he knows they have the potential to change the world.
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There are things that scare him and shake his confidence. The difference, though, is that he embraces his fears and uses them as invaluable life lessons. He doesn’t put off what he should be doing for another day. He does it.
I listened to negative people who told me I wasn’t a “realist.”
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I’d like to think I’m this fearless modern man, but I’m not. I gave into my fear, doubt, and self-limiting beliefs for most of my life. It took the death of my father unexpectedly to shake me out of my comfort zone and get me on the path to the kind of life I wanted to live.
I let fear control me—like too many other guys. I listened to negative people who told me I wasn’t a “realist.” Any time you try to do things that aren’t considered “normal’ by society, you encounter resistance. Here are seven things the modern man is not afraid to challenge.
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- Cry while expressing what he feels. Crying has been associated with being weak in our society—it’s not. The modern man is not afraid of people’s opinions of him, so he’s not afraid to express whatever emotion is on his mind and heart. That may include crying. Don’t hold it inside, men. Sometimes a good cry can help us start the process of healing.
- Speak up instead of staying quiet about injustice. There are too many times in life when a man keeps quiet when he knows he should take a stand. It can be political, it can be racial, or it relational. The modern man doesn’t hold his tongue when someone is being bullied or hurt. Dr. Martin King, Jr. said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Speak up gentlemen.
- Choose experience over material possessions. There’s nothing wrong with owning nice things. A problem can arise, however, when you put the pursuit of stuff over truly living life. Material possessions will come and go, but experiences are what you’ll remember at the end of your life. Variety is the spice of life, and it can taste good if you’ll embrace it over stuff.
- Live each day as if it were the last. As men, we have concerns. We want to provide and protect those people we love and are responsible for. We live for tomorrow at the expense of today. Life is short, and we waste it when we don’t live each day and each moment as if they were the last.
- Love with all his heart. Love can be amazing, or it can ruin you. The modern man may have experienced both, but he’s not afraid to love with his whole heart. He’s not afraid to give himself completely to the person he loves and wants to spend the rest of his life with.
- Be a true friend, even during the hard times. It’s easier to be someone’s friend when everything is going right in their or your life. The true test of friendship comes when hard times it. The modern man will be there for a friend and do whatever he can to help. He doesn’t run because it seems easier. He jumps in with both feet and embraces his role as a true friend.
- Make a sacrifice for the greater good. Whether it’s for family, a partner, or friends, the modern man isn’t afraid to sacrifice for a better outcome for those he loves. He isn’t afraid to give up things that he likes in the short term because it will help his life in the long term. He does what it takes and focuses on the why behind what he’s doing.
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As long as you’re alive, it’s never too late to beat your fear.
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You only get one life to live and living it in fear wastes the precious time we have. There are so many things to do. There are so many places to see. There’s a whole world of possibility that exists just beyond what we’re comfortable doing.
If you were to watch a video of the last five years of your life, would you be happy with what you saw? If you answered no, the good news is that you still have a chance to live the next five years the way you want to live them. As long as you’re alive, it’s never too late to beat your fear and claim the life you truly deserve.
Are you letting fear keep you stuck in a life you don’t want to live?
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Photo: Flickr/ Keep the Dream Alive