The F Word

Let fear ride--but never drive

Image by ElisaRiva from Pixabay

I’m rereading Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, and I’ve landed again in the opening chapter on courage.

There’s a passage I return to often—one I believe is pure gold. In it, Elizabeth Gilbert imagines taking a road trip with Creativity….and Fear inevitably tagging along. She acknowledges Fear’s presence, even respects it, but makes one thing abundantly clear:

Fear is allowed in the car.
It is not allowed to drive.

That idea has stayed with me.

If you’ve been following my musings, you know I moved into Studio 206 in February, and something in my creative life opened wide. The freedom to express myself as an artist—and even as a dressmaker—has never felt more available.

You may also recall that I paid my rent in full for the year. I didn’t want my creativity tethered to a monthly obligation. I wanted space—mental, emotional, financial—to simply create.

A few weeks ago, another artist casually mentioned that the mill is for sale.

Asking price: five million dollars.

Wait…what?

I had no idea. No inkling when I signed that lease that this chapter might be shorter than expected.

And yet—something surprising happened.

Or rather, something didn’t happen.

I didn’t panic.
I didn’t spiral into “what if.”
I didn’t second-guess my decision or resent the unknown.

Instead, I noticed the absence of fear.

The freedom I feel these days is palpable. It shows up everywhere—on my face, in my work, in my relationships. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

For now, I’m simply grateful. Grateful for the time I do have in that space to explore, to make a mess, to play with color, to turn fiber into something meaningful.

And when the time comes—whether I renew my lease or move on to something new—I trust I’ll meet that moment the same way.

Fear may come along for the ride.

But it has no place in my freedom-loving heart.

(If my words spoke to you today and you’d like to support my work in a small way, you can leave a token of appreciation below. No obligation, just gratitude.)