William James said, ‘The fear of life is the favorite disease of the twentieth century.’ Welcome to The Soul Podcast. I’m Stacey Wheeler. 

That quote really lands—fear of living might be quietly holding us back, keeping us from who we could become. Today, we’re looking at how this fear—of failure, judgment, even joy—chains us, and how we can break free. Let’s explore why we hesitate to step into life’s fullness and what it takes to unlock our potential.” 
We’re alive, but how often do we really live? The fear of living isn’t just about death—it’s the terror of stumbling, of being judged, or embracing happiness only to lose it. I’ve felt it. We've all felt it. How often has an inner voice preaching fear slowed your forward movement? 

It’s like we’re wired to play it safe, avoiding the risks that come with being fully alive. As though other people's opinion should matter more than our own desires. But great things can happen when we push through fear. 

Look at Harriet Tubman—she escaped slavery and risked death repeatedly to free others via a network of safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. Many would have called her reckless (or worse). If she'd listened to those voices, all the good she did would have never happened. Or Frida Kahlo, painting her raw pain, mocked as strange until her art soared. She created a new style of art, still copied an applauded many years after her death. Would any of that happened if she'd let fear stop her? Fear of failure, fear of judgment... fear of the unknown?! 

These souls faced the fear and lived boldly, even reshaping history. Yet for most of us, that fear keeps us small—stuck in routines, dodging dreams because what if we fall? 
Steve Jobs captured this tension: ‘When you’re doing something new, people don’t understand it, and they think you’re crazy. But when it works, suddenly they call you a genius.’ That’s the fear of living in action—dreading the ‘crazy’ label. Jobs pushed Apple’s limits, risking failure, before his vision completely changed technology. Vincent van Gogh painted with fearless passion, branded as mad by some, selling almost nothing —yet his work now inspires. Van Gogh didn't succeed in becoming a professional success in his lifetime, but he became a success in doing what his heart told him he was men to do – which is much more important. Life is meant to be lived. 

Here’s where Carl Jung steps in. He saw this fear as rooted in our unconscious—the ‘shadow,’ those parts of ourselves we hide, like our wild potential or desires, because they scare us. Jung believed we resist becoming our true selves, fearing the chaos it might unleash. I think of a friend who dreamed of a bakery but stayed in a safe job, terrified of public failure. That shadow fear kept her from living her gift. Have you felt that tug, where a dream feels too big to chase? It’s not just failure—it’s the vulnerability of being alive, exposed to judgment. 
This fear shapes us quietly. We avoid risks—new love, bold moves—because what if we lose? But those who live fearlessly show what’s possible. Courage isn’t the absence of fear but a choice to act despite it. Jung would say facing that shadow expands us, while avoiding it shrinks our souls. The paradigm-breaking writer, Anaïs Nin put it beautifully: 

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” That’s the key—fear of living narrows our world, while courage widens it. So, how do we measure this fear? Here’s a tool: next time you hesitate—maybe a new project or tough talk—pause and ask, ‘What shadow am I avoiding if I live fully here?’ What's the fear behind your thought? Write it down: is it failure, judgment, chaos? Rate that fear from 1 to 10. Then, take a small step—sketch an idea, share a thought. Take a small step toward the things you're resisting. Notice how the fear shifts. Don’t let your shadow define you; let it guide you to who you might become. 
Think of Tubman, Kahlo, Jobs—they risked the ‘crazy’ phase to expand their lives. Jung’s shadow and Nin’s courage remind us: your fear of living is a signpost to your potential. Embrace that risk. Question what holds you back. Be the one who lives, not just survives.

For some, fear of living will keep them stuck. But will that be you? 

Thanks for joining me on The Soul Podcast. I’m Stacey Wheeler. Until next time, keep exploring your truth.