Do you know the feeling when you’re walking through a house of mirrors and everything is distorted and seems off kilter and you feel unbalanced and unsure of where to step next? You walk with your arms out to protect yourself from bumping into anything because you can’t tell what is real and what is an illusion?

So many of us are living life that same way. With a distorted image of ourselves. Unclear about our path. Arms in front, a defensive stance, poised and bracing for the next blow, avoiding pain instead of embracing it for the lessons it brings.

It has taken me some time, and a whole lot of work, but I have put my arms down. I am learning to trust myself and the universe and the steps and path I take. I am learning to risk a bruise or a bump in exchange for the freedom of walking upright without a posture of self defense. I am learning to live and to love unguardedly; with less fear and more confidence that even if I sustain hurt I am strong enough to withstand the pain. And I have to say, life is exponentially better when you embrace all of life’s experiences.

That thing you’ve been meaning and/or wanting to do, that risk you want to take but are holding yourself back, that thing you want to say? Do it. Try it. Say it. Life is short and fragile and we only get today to live it. “I can do it later” is what we tell ourselves to excuse ourselves from doing the hard (but rewarding) things. Busy is a defense mechanism, just another form of arms out. Keeping people emotionally at arms length.

Don’t let your fears distort the reality of possibility.

Put your arms down. Trust yourself.

Live hard. Love harder.