speaking of doubt

Recently the topic of doubt has found it's way into my conversations and just today it came up in church. My pastor said that "doubt is hesitance to believe” he also said it is something that can be overcome. Now this is a little out of context because he was talking about it in regards to discipleship, but I believe this statement to be true in any means of doubt.
My roommate and I, we were discussing doubt in regards to dating and how it’s stemmed from fear that stems from experiences we have had throughout our lives. The question that comes after acknowledging doubt is, "How do we stop doubting and start believing and living," In everything we do some element of pain will be in the mix. Not because its intended but because pain is a reality in this world.
I doubt relationships. When I get in them or close to them, I talk myself out of it using with doubt as the backdrop. It's my defense mechanism against getting hurt. I never knew how much fear I had until I realized how many times I had run away. I have acknowledged this doubt for a couple years now as fear, but it is only recently that I am in understanding of it and learning how to decipher between doubt and what is real.
I think that risk is such an important part of life. For years I have been the girl on the sidelines, doubting the normal things that people do. My friends would so often take the plunge, and I would always hold back and watch. I remember once everyone was going pier jumping and I refused to go. All I could think was how the idea free falling terrified me. I thought to myself “why would I want to do something like that? What is the point?” At the same time I wondered what it would be like. Curious at all the fun they were having. A year later I had the opportunity again and something in the back of my head was nagging me to do it, “Go ahead and take that jump.” So I did I jumped off the pier and honestly I hated it, it hurt so much. Today though when I think about it and how I said I would never do it again, I realize I want to. Even though it wasn't amazing for me, it is great was knowing that I did it, that I can do it again. It doesn’t matter if it was good or not, I did it, I conquered my fear and now I never have to wonder what the fuss is all about. Now I know and the fear has gone and when I jumped I felt so liberated. Like I can do this and it is worth it.
I guess if we’re to learn anything in life it’s to not doubt what’s real because of fear. God is on our side. We have strength through Him and we can’t do it on our own we can for sure do it through him.