FACING YOUR FEARS TO FIND RESULTS
Fear & anxiety is no stranger to any of us, but if we can learn to harness these fears and use them to propel us into the direction we're wanting to head, we will ultimately find self-confidence and the courage to live life on purpose and not let fear hold us back.
Before you can face your fears, however, you need to take the time to identify what they actually are. Here are some questions that may help you define what your fears are:
What is it that's really scaring you?
What are you afraid of losing?
Who are you afraid of losing?
What assumptions are you making of what may or may not happen?
Where are you feeling this tension in your body?
What is it that's holding you back?
By answering these questions and taking the time to write down your answers and reflect on them and what it is that you're feeling exactly, you can begin to create the map of where you are and where you ultimately want to be.
It is almost impossible to get to where you're wanting to go or achieve anything without knowing where you are now and identifying what it is that's holding you back.
So what does facing your fears actually mean?
It means that you're actively “exposing" yourself to the very thing that scares you. The more you do things - even the little things like speaking to that person you've been too afraid to speak to, or it's quitting that job to start your dream job - the more you expose yourself to 'facing your fears' on a daily basis and the less scary they seem as you have created familiarity with the things you have avoided for so long.
This is just one way of living your life on purpose. You're acknowledging your fears but you're also taking steps towards familiarising yourself with these fears that you've created in your mind. This is also the foundation of where self-confidence comes from. We find inner confidence when we do or achieve something that was once a vision that we didn't know we could do or how it would eventuate. To put it simply, whatever your fear is, you need to dive into it or it will control you for the rest of your life and cost you your ultimate happiness.
Diving in is scary, but if you surround yourself with people who believe in you, take the time to reflect on where you're at and where you'd like to go or what you'd like to achieve and just take small steps towards it, life becomes this wondrous adventure that can excite you!
Let's give you some takeaways to implement into your life today that will enable you to make some incredible changes:
- Practice daily/weekly meditation. Doing any sort of breathwork and slowing your body and mind down will help you gain clarity and contentment.
- Set goals you'd like to achieve if fear wasn't a factor - write them down or create a vision board!
- Release the pattern of trying to be perfect. Embrace your imperfections and know that nothing in this life is meant to be perfect.
- Pause in the moments you feel fear or anxiety, focus on your breath, and try to create a new meaning to the person or situation that triggered this feeling for you.
- Take steps in the direction of things that scare you. The more you do the things you avoid you'll naturally find confidence you didn't have before.
- Surround yourself with people who believe in you. This will be your most valuable tool especially in those moments you feel like giving up.
- Celebrate your wins big or small. The more we celebrate the things we have achieved, the more likely we are to continue facing our fears on a regular basis.
- Spend time learning and educating yourself in the areas that interest you. The more we learn, the more tools we have to apply to our everyday life and impact the people around us.
- Go out of your way to help another. Whether it’s a stranger or someone you know, when we help those who need it, we are also helping ourselves in finding peace, happiness and love.
Remember, fear is just an emotion and it's usually created from past experiences or passed down from our parents or the people around us. It's just a thought with a whole bunch of emotion and unempowering meanings placed around it. It is something we always have control over, provided we take the steps and initiative to not let fear control our life. Live your life with love and kindness but most importantly faith - faith that everything will always work out for your highest good.
