Facing Up To Fear!
In our recent Live Cast we talked about courage and how to step into opportunities instead of living with the regret of choosing to stay safe. We all need to be brave at times. But let’s face it, acting bravely is easier said than done. It requires rising above our evolutionary response to protect ourselves from pain, and avoiding the risk of losing something we value—like our pride, our status in our job or the approval of our friends or our colleagues.
With courage, all things are possible. You become unstoppable. With courage, you are living from your heart and moving forward in a way that is authentic for you. Boosting our courage isn’t about eradicating our fear; it’s such a primal, instinctive response that this isn’t a realistic goal. Instead, it’s about learning how to respond to our fear in a healthy way.
Face up to the fear!
A courageous life sounds great, doesn’t it? Why, then, aren’t more of us living like that? Fear. Fear happens when we let our mind rule over what we want in our heart. Fear holds us back. Fear is the inner critic and that voice in your head that tells you to play it safe, reminds you that you want security and comfort. Its going to keep second-guessing you.
● What if I fail?
● What if I am laughed at?
● What if, what if, what if?
Now don't get me wrong- Fear is very helpful in situations where we have control in a situation and we want to minimise the risk of some disaster scenario coming true. A helpful, courage-boosting question to ask yourself when deciding how to respond to a situation is:
“Am I avoiding pain, or seeking growth?"
Courage does not mean you are fearless. Courage is moving forward despite your fear. So get clear on what really scares you about the situation. You need to be honest about what it is that you are scared to do and be. And then you need to face that – because as some famous person once said, the only way out is through.
The next LIVE CAST will be on Developing Confidence on Thursday 1 October. Want to join us? Click Here!
