Don’t Let Fear of the Unknown Stop You From Living Your Life [Guest Blogpost]

The following is a guest blogpost by my good friend, Zac Bean.

“We fear what we do not know” rings true with a lot of people because, like myself, many people get into a routine or a pattern in their lives. We become comfortable, but more importantly, I think we become complacent. That, in my mind, is one of the greatest travesties in life. We become afraid to take chances…whether it is in our personal life or our professional life.

I can’t remember the specific moment when I transitioned into the routine and pattern I have now. (Let me be clear: I love my life and have had some great opportunities in both my professional and personal life.) But somewhere along the way, my willingness to take bigger risks or make a major life change have taken a backseat to what my life has become. Taking chances opens up doors to new adventures and moments in life that you never imagined would mean so much to us.

One of the biggest things that shaped my life was coming to Maine to go to college. I grew up in upstate New York and before I decided to go to Saint Joseph’s College, I had never been to Maine or even had an idea what it would be like. I came out here on a whim and decided to go to school without ever visiting. I can honestly say it was the best decision I have ever made. 10 years ago, though, I was terrified of the unknown. But when you are a teenager, you look at life a little different. You look at it with endless possibilities. So what is it that changes us?

People always say, “if knew then what I know now.” That may apply to many things, but I like to try and look at things differently. Sometimes it’s good thing that we didn’t know what was to come because it could stop us from making a decision that you don’t realize is a great one until later on in the future.

When I first came to Maine, I hated it for the first couple of months. If I had known that when I made the decision to go to college here, it may have stopped me from moving; which again, ultimately became one of the best decisions in my life.

There are many things in life that scare us as adults: making a big move, going for a new job, starting a business, settling down with the person you love, etc. The key is to not let the stop you from you know in your heart is what is best for you.

I love Maine and living here has been the best 5 years of my life; but at times, I think it is time for a new adventure and that is what got me writing today. I can think of a million different excuses as to why I should not move but that is all they are – excuses – and not a good reason to not take a chance.

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I guess what I am trying to say don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from doing something. A change may be tough and scare you, but I would bet 99 times out of 100 you will look back be glad you did and laugh that you were nervous at the time.

When I reflect on my life, I can tell you a specific time when I was afraid of something, followed through, and ultimately regretted my decision. But I can also tell you a number of instances where I was nervous about something and as soon as I did it, I didn’t even realize why I made a big deal about it.

So take chances and make mistakes because it’s far better to take a chance than have a regret.