Don’t Let Fear Get in the Way of Your Dreams

Remember learning to ride a bike for the first time? I bet you were scared.

Remember that first date? Terrible butterflies.

Walking into a job interview with the hiring team sitting around the board table? Terrified.

Thinking about quitting your “secure” job and starting your own business? No way, too much of a risk.

Yes, fear can wreck havoc with our dreams, block us from moving forward and turn us into sputtering, sweat dripping, mind numbed creatures.

The good news is; is that we can learn to beat fear and put it in its place!

Fear is one of the most basic human emotions. It’s programmed into our nervous systems and works like an instinct. From the time beginning, we are equipped with the survival instincts necessary to respond with fear when we sense danger or feel unsafe.

Fear is useful too as it helps protect us by alerting us to danger. It prepares us to deal with the danger at hand. Feeling afraid is very natural — and helpful, in some situations. Fear can be like a warning, a signal that cautions us to be careful.

Like all emotions, fear can be mild, medium, or intense, depending on the situation and the person. The feeling of fear can be brief or it can last longer, turning into chronic worry and keeping us up at night.

The problem with this basic emotion is that fear can get in the way of when we strive to learn something new, or start a new undertaking that we perceive as risky.

The protective feature of fear that keeps us from walking too close to the edge of the cliff is called F.alse E.vidence A.ppreaing R.eal. Our rational mind tells us that yes indeed we DO want to go for that new career opportunity or we DO want to get back out there on the dating scene, or we DO want to learn how to become a speaker to promote our business, but our subconscious mind emphasizes and communicates to us that this new undertaking is something to be cautious of and better yet, encourages us to just give up that intention all together to stay safe.

The wonderful thing about dreams is that they don’t give up…they keep nagging at us until we are brave enough, their drive becomes stronger than the fear and we’re able to move forward.

I’ve faced fear, broken through it and you can too. It gets easier every time you take on a new risk and learn how powerful indeed you are.

FOUR EASY STEPS TO OVERCOME FEAR:

1. Know it’s natural and expect it. Be aware that fear is a natural human instinct that will raise its ugly head whenever you are thinking about taking a new step or on the cutting edge of a breakthrough. Expect it and know it’s natural and happens to everyone.
2. Feel the fear, breathe into it, and acknowledge it. Make friends with it. Imagine the worst case scenario – most times it has to do with the fear of failure, the fear of being judged (the “outcast” fear is a primal reaction going way back and has helped us survive in groups). When you get a grip on the worst case scenario, for example, losing everything you have (lack of security) and worry about living in a cardboard box, you can take an honest, straight forward look in the eye at fear to realize that the worst case scenario is not likely to occur! You’re much more resilient and resourceful than your worst case scenario; just take a look into your past accomplishments for evidence.
3. Learn everything you can about the goal you are undertaking. Knowledge is power and knowledge scares fear away. If your striving to become a speaker which is the 2nd strongest fear, after the fear of death. Find a coach or mentor, practice in small groups, and learn your material inside and out. This will diminish your fear in a BIG way.
4. Practice makes perfect – don’t expect perfection. If you are used to wearing sneakers, and you put on a pair of heels, yes, you’ll feel wobbly. First time out on the snowboard? You will definitely fall down. But practice builds confidence AND skill level, so don’t give up.

Of course, stronger fears, or phobias, can be debilitating and consuming. These may require additional assistance in understanding and overcoming obstacles. People can learn to overcome phobias by gradually facing their fears. This is not easy at first, of course because it takes willingness and bravery on your part. Sometimes people need additional help to guide them through the process.

To help you conquer your fears I have a special e-book offer: ATTRACTING YOUR DREAMS WITHOUT FEAR: HOW TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND JOIN THE CONFIDENCE CLUB

In this easy to read but thorough eBook you’ll learn how to best handle your fears, including: Determine if your Fears are Real and the Effect of Your Fear The Reasons you Choose Fear and What Causes Your Fear? Strategies to Overcome Specific Fears Learn about Specific Fears: Fear of the Unknown, Fear of Failure, Fear of Change, Fear of Lack of Support, Fear of the Worst Case Scenario BONUS: This Powerful Book Includes Fear-Crushing Exercises

Regardless of what fears you have, there are ways to overcome and get them under control. Once you do, you will free yourself of the fear ‘baggage’ and feel much lighter to move onto creating the life you love! You’ve conquered fear and have come out on top!

To your success,