Are you down with OPF?

Other People’s Fears can be contagious – but only if you allow them to be.

Sometimes, when you put yourself out there with such strength and conviction, people pull back because their own fear of change surfaces. It’s essential that you not take this personally, and DO NOT shrink down and adjust yourself to play smaller.

When you have passion, it shows. It radiates out from you, and this impacts everyone who comes into contact with you. For those who want to be inspired and uplifted, this passion and enthusiasm is welcome, like a breath of fresh air.

But for those who are miserable, dissatisfied with their current station in life, or frustrated with their circumstances, your enthusiasm will be too much for them to bear.

These are the people who will criticize and ridicule you; these people will try to sabotage you; their own fears and inadequacies will surface and either shrink back from you, or lash out at you.

So what can you do?

If you are naturally a pleaser, your first instinct will be to pull back, to play smaller. Even if you’re not a pleaser by nature, you’ll probably feel as though you want to adjust your approach. To hide your light under a bushel basket, if you will.

DON’T. 

It is when this surfaces that you must be strongest. Be bold, be courageous, and take a stand. You are not serving the world by playing small, or holding back. Let loose and stand for what you know is true. Live a courageous life and let other people’s fear belong to them — don’t you take that on! To do so would only spread fear, instead of love. Remind yourself that YOU are responsible for your thoughts and feelings, and thereby, others are responsible for theirs.

Be strong and press on. When you are unabashedly YOU, the right people will naturally gravitate to you for it, and together you will change the world.

Go for it.