- Recognize your fear.
What fear is holding you back? There are many fears. Often people will think of the big ones, such as being afraid of heights or spiders. However, did the fear of public speaking or the fear of being successful cross your mind?
Self-knowledge of our fears is important to make better choices. When we make better choices it leads to a greater life. When we overcome our fears, when we jump outside our comfort zone, it leads to growth and greatness.
Everyone has a fear. And unfortunately, as humans we will never be free of our fears. Once we move through one fear another one surfaces, and it requires inner-work on our parts.
Some core human fears include, but are not limited to:
- Fear of success
- Fear of failure
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of being alone
- Fear of the unknown
- Fear of illness
- Fear of love
Do any of these fears instinctively call to you? If you were to overcome this fear, what would your life look like? What do you want to create or become, and what is currently holding you back?
- Write it down/Journal about it.
Writing down your fears will help you to organize your thoughts. It will help clarify what you are afraid of and possibly why you are afraid of it.
Where did your fear come from? Was it learned from your parents? Did something happen to you that you are now holding a fear of? As I mentioned previously, what would your life look like if you let go and conquered this fear? These are important questions to investigate.
- Talk about it
After you have written down your fear, and explored your fear, it is important to talk to someone about it. Obviously someone you trust. Perhaps get a mentor and discuss your fears. If you attend counseling, I am sure you are investigating some of your fears already.
If you are angry, most likely behind that anger is fear. If you are depressed, again, most likely there is a fear. Fears are our teachers. They are markers of where we have to grow and learn. Having someone you trust and can confide in, who will listen to you and be your sounding board will help you to feel your fears. When you feel your fears you can help heal your fears.
As humans we deal with fear daily. If you take a moment to think about this, we are one resilient race. Look at the people around us, people on the internet or TV, your family and friends. What fears do you think they have? What fears are they overcoming? As a race we often dislike change, but with change come great rewards and new adventures.
What new adventure do you want to create? I believe in you. I know you can overcome your fear, and I look forward to seeing you do it, as I see it daily in the people I meet.
“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown
