Fear has such a negative connotation. We are all told to face our fears, or even shy away from our fears. Of course the latter is implied indirectly. I agree that we should face our fears, but even more than that I really do believe that being afraid can be a good thing. A damn good thing.
When we are afraid, we are actually thinking about our life. If someone wasn’t afraid, I would guarantee they are not dreaming big enough, not being ambitious enough, or in total denial. Fear is a natural thing. Being afraid is good. It’s our internal self’s way of saying, “hey, something isn’t quite right.”
I speak from experience on this. The photo you see above is important. It symbolizes a fear I overcame, but still struggle with from time to time….being on camera.
No joke guys, it took me almost 2 months to post my first YouTube video.
Two freaking months!! Why?
I was scared. I was afraid people would judge me, think I was weird, or not smart enough, not pretty enough, hell- I even thought they might say I’m a fake (the imposter syndrome). But what I learned is I was right- partially.
I am a little weird, and people did judge me. Some people don’t think I’m smart enough, or even pretty enough. But those weren’t the people I would want to be around. I found that I can’t control what other’s say or do, but I can stop that constant fear of being judged by taking action.
Fear is a subtle way of nature telling you “pay attention to this feeling.” Fear is trying to tell us to take action. To run with our wild ideas. Stay away from that creeper. Take that spontaneous trip.
And sometimes fear is trying to subtly remind you that you are on to something amazing.
I wouldn’t get you all fired up about taking action on your fears without giving you strategic tips to facing your fears:
1. Imagine the worst case scenario.
Sh*t hits the fan, you lose your job trying to start that business and you slowly lose all your possessions. Once you do this, you will find that the worst case scenario really, truly isn’t that bad at all. Very few things are as life changing as we make them out to be.
2. Take action.
If you are afraid of the debt accumulating, looking at your bank account and maybe even holding your breath at the grocery store afraid your card will get declined, that fear is telling you something beautful. It’s telling to to take action! Start living on a budget, cut up your credit cards, create a plan to pay off debt and put steps in place so you can’t give in to your temptations.
3. Use the fear to motivate you.
Pretend you dream of owning your own business. While excitedly sharing your vision with a friend, your friend says, “that’s not good idea. Owning a business is hard work, you don’t have what it takes.” If you are a rational person, those comments might put a bit of fear in you. It might be something you secretly agree with. But how you use that fear matters. You can tell yourself your friend is right. Or you can use that fear to motivate you to live your dream life. Always strive to use that fear as motivation.
4. Respect your fear.
Listen to your fears. Write them down. Study them. Figure out what the underlying message of your fear is. This requires so deep thinking. Once you find out what the root cause of the fear is you can start challenging it and putting systems into place that keep fear at bay. Sometimes that system might be as simple as breaking down your fears to see if they are rational or irrational, but either way- respect what fear is telling you.
Hopefully these suggestions help you determine how to use fear in a good way.
Fear can be your best friend, or your biggest stressor. It all depends on how you look at it.
-Whitney
Comment below and share 1 way you stop fear from ruining your progress.