The Courage to Say Yes—Even When Fear Says No
By Peter Howe
"I’m not ready yet—I need more time."
"There’s too much happening right now."
"I already have so much on my plate. How am I going to make this work?"
"I’m not good enough to do this."
Sound familiar?
That voice in your head—the one telling you why it won’t work, why it’s too much, why you’re not ready, why it’s not possible—it’s relentless.
It sounds so convincing. So logical. So responsible.
But is it true?
Or is it just a pattern—a conditioned way of thinking that keeps you playing small, staying safe, and repeating the past?
8 Years Ago, I Was Stuck.
I was working full-time in mental health while studying holistic counselling on weekends.
I was busy and tired.
But then—I saw the ad online.
A coaching training.
Something inside me lit up.
It was subtle at first—an energy, a curiosity, a pull that felt like life was nudging me in a new direction.
That’s exactly what I felt.
And as I started researching… the feeling got stronger.
That quiet knowing turned into a resounding YES!
Have you ever had a moment like that?
A moment where something inside you just knows—"This is meant for me. This is what I’m meant to be doing.”
The Mind Always Finds Reasons to Stay Small
I was excited. This felt so right.
And then… my mind jumped in.
"You can’t afford this!"
"You’re already studying something else!"
"You’re going to burn yourself out."
"It’s not possible."
And for a moment… I believed it.
I picked up the phone, called the training centre, and said:
"I’m sorry, I don’t think I can do this. Financially, I can’t afford it. And with my current study commitments, I don’t think I can make it work."
They told me they would do their best to help me and asked me to take some time and sleep on it.
I hung up.
And then—a realisation hit me so hard, I had to sit down.
I had been here before.
When Life Intervened
10 months earlier, I had already started turning my life around.
I had been struggling with addiction for years and had lost my job. But instead of continuing down the same path, I finally committed to change.
I poured myself into healthy eating, exercise, spirituality, and natural healing. I was even going to start a business selling natural healing products.
I was excited. It gave me a sense of purpose—something to wake up for every day.
And then…
In what felt like an instant, that passion completely evaporated.
I don’t know how—it just vanished.
I had worked so hard to get to that point, and suddenly, it felt like all of it had been for nothing.
I was lost again. And broke.
I had NO money.
I had NO sense of direction.
I had NO idea what I was going to do.
And that’s when life intervened.
I had been on my knees, asking life for a sign because I was struggling.
And then, out of nowhere, a friend sent me a message about a holistic counselling course she was doing.
The second I saw it, something shifted.
It didn’t make logical sense.
I had no job, no plan, and no idea how I’d afford it.
I actually remember typing into Google: "How do I study?"
That’s how lost I felt.
I had no idea where to start.
I believed I was stupid, and there was no way I could do something like that.
That was for other people. The smart ones. The capable ones. The ones who had their shit together.
Not me.
But something inside me just knew.
And despite every compelling reason not to do it…
I trusted that deeper feeling instead of my fear.
And that one choice led me to here.
The Crossroad
And now, here I was again.
At another crossroad.
Would I listen to my inner wisdom? Would I trust that feeling?
Or would I let my habitual thinking and fear dictate my future?
Because here’s what I finally understood:
Fear uses the past to project a bad future—trying to protect you from potential hurt. But that’s not truth.
The ego mind clings to limitation—not because it’s real, but because it’s all it knows. And that’s not YOU.
Your soul is always pointing you toward what’s most aligned. It’s your ultimate compass. You don’t need to see the entire path ahead—you just need to trust it, take the next step, and move in the direction it’s guiding you.
Playing it safe is the riskiest way to live—a ship may be safe in the harbour, but that’s not what it was made for.
The same is true for you—you’re not here to stay anchored in fear or the familiar. You are made to explore, expand, create, and step fully into who you’re meant to be.
The deeper intelligence of life—and your soul—exist beyond those fears.
When you take inspired action, life responds. The right people, opportunities, and synchronicities align to support you, reminding you that you’re never alone. You are guided and supported every step of the way
So, despite the fear… despite not knowing how it would work… despite every doubt in my mind and discomfort in my body…
I said YES.
One Decision Changed Everything
As I sit here, typing this, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude—because that single decision changed my life.
Because of that one YES:
I have been coached and mentored by amazing people who helped me let go of so much and awaken to who I truly am.
I have coached hundreds of people and had the honour of witnessing them break free from their own limitations in ways they never thought possible.
I have built deep, beautiful friendships with people all over the world and been part of incredible communities.
And most of all—I met the love of my life, Rosemary, at that very training.
We’re still, as far as I know, the only couple to ever be born out of the coaching training company!
She, too, felt the call and trusted the unknown.
And life brought us together in ways no logic ever could have planned.
Can you see it more clearly now?
The illusion of control, certainty, and security that keeps us playing small.
But life is always inviting us into something greater.
The question is—will you trust it?
Your Freedom Is on the Other Side of Fear
We’re not here to figure everything out first.
We’re not here to have all the answers before we take the leap.
We’re here to trust.
To be ourselves as fully as we can.
To follow our dreams and what lights us up.
To recognise that the deeper part of us already knows.
And when we listen to that?
Life expands in ways we never imagined.
The right people, opportunities, and circumstances align effortlessly.
We see what’s truly possible.
We realise the creative potential that we are.
Not because we achieved something…
But because we finally stopped listening to the lies and remembered how powerful our light is.
What’s Calling You Forward?
Ask yourself:
Are you truly doing what you want to be doing?
If not, why not? What are you afraid will happen if you follow your passion?
What fear-based story are you holding onto that’s keeping you stuck?
What if you let it go completely? How would you feel? From that space, what inspired action would you take?
What decision are you overthinking?
It might sound obvious, but what if you simply stopped overthinking it? What becomes possible?
What if today was the day you stopped waiting?
What if this pull is life inviting you into something bigger?
This is your invitation.
To see beyond your conditioning.
To trust the pull.
To find your unique gift and follow what excites you.
To tap into your creative potential and bring it to life.
To live from freedom, not from fear.
To say YES—even when it makes no sense.
Let life show you what’s possible.
Commit to discovering what you’re truly capable of.
Trust your inner wisdom and simply take the next obvious step.
Because I promise you—on the other side of fear, you will find freedom.
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