I dare say there’s something almost each and every one of us want to do. Something we’ve been wanting to do. But we’re afraid to take that step. Something keeps holding us back.

Is it fear? Fear of the unknown? Fear of taking a chance? Fear of hurting other people? Fear of not being successful? Fear of making a mistake?

It could be something as simple as trying a new hairstyle or hair color which means a striking change from your current look. What if you absolutely hate it!?

But what if you love it, and so does everyone else?

It could be finally leaving the job you’ve been at for a long time and finally opening your own business. You’ve had the plan for years, you’ve saved enough money. And you already have several clients who’ve agreed to work with you. So what’s stopping you? Are you afraid it won’t be successful?

But what if it is?

It could be an opportunity to relocate somewhere you’ve always dreamed of living. Your family and friends are supportive, and your spouse and children are ready to move with you. You have a great job offer there, with a well-known company. It seems to be everything you’ve wanted for so long. But what if you don’t like it, if you aren’t happy?

But what if you are?

Or it could be you’re stuck in a relationship that’s going nowhere. You’re miserably unhappy, and you believe the other person is as well. You know there’s got to be more out there waiting for you, but you’re afraid to take the chance. Your friends have encouraged you to make a break, but you keep hesitating. What if the other person doesn’t agree and wants to keep things the way they are? Do you stay unhappy at the risk of your own happiness or do you finally walk away?

But what if you do and life is better than ever? For both of you?

Or you’ve been dreaming of going back to school and finally finishing your degree that you’re just a few classes short of. But you’re afraid you’re too old and can’t compete with the younger students. Or they’ll make fun of you. Or you won’t be able to learn the material.

But what if you try and graduate with honors?

We’ve all seen the postings on Facebook about standing on a cliff thinking about taking that scary leap into the future.

We think, “What if I fall?”

But Someone Else says, “But my darling, what if you fly?!”

Or the picture of someone at the fork in a road. There are two ways to travel. One looks well worn and quite easy to navigate, rather commonplace and ordinary actually. The other looks a bit bumpy, but in the distance you can sense there’s something exciting and wonderful.

Which path do you take?

Life is a series of taking chances; making decisions. We do it every day. Sometimes the decisions are insignificant and barely impact our world at all. Sometimes they’re very serious, and impact other people’s worlds as well.

Sometimes we may think we made the wrong decision, but in the end, that decision almost always proves to be right; just not always in the way we’d planned.

It’s not totally our plan anyway. Others also impact our decisions. And as they say, “life happens.”

But until we step out of our comfort zone and take that chance, we’ll never know.

If you’re struggling over a decision, don’t keep agonizing over it. You cannot answer all of the “what if’s?” until you do it. As I wrote last week, tomorrow is not promised. And putting off an important decision could mean you never make it at all.

Are you one of those who are struggling with such a decision? One you know you need to make, but that one little bit of uncertainty, that nagging bit of fear, is holding you back.

Fear of the unknown is natural. We all have it. But sometimes it keeps us stuck in a rut; stuck in a place where we don’t really want to be. We can see the results of making that decision, but still…that leap looks so scary.

What if you fall?

But what if you fly into the best part of your life ever?