walking on bridge

 

FEAR

 

What emotions does that word evoke for you?  Do you start to feel your heart race, your breaths get shallow, your face feels flushed, your palms get sweaty?  Fear is scary AF!!!  There is no doubt about it.

 

Imagine you are at a carnival.  You see the “Drop of Doom” ride that slowly goes up, only to plunge down at record speeds.  You notice the ride and your friend says, “Come on!  Let’s do it!  It will be fun!”  You feel FEAR.  But you don’t want to look foolish so you go along.  As you wait in line, your heart rate increases and a bit of anxiety settles in.  When it’s your turn to choose a seat, you buckle in and pull down the safety bar.  You think to yourself, “Why did I agree to this??? Ugh.  I don’t want to do this!!!!”.  You almost get off the ride, but your friend looks so happy you just take a deep breath and push that panic deep down inside.  As the ride ascends the tower, you feel yourself holding your breath.  Your heart is beating so loud you are certain everyone else can hear the thump, thump, thump.  You are convinced this is it.  You are going to die.  You get to the top and the ride stops momentarily.  That half-second of bliss before you plummet down!  You scream at the top of your lungs.  Your stomach jumps up to your throat.  You are FALLING.  You are SCARED.  And then it is over.  And you are exhilarated!  Your energy is elevated!  You are ALIVE!  You did it…and you want to go again.

Nathan Pyle Cartoon
Comic by Nathan Pyle

That is FEAR.  When we experience fear, our brain and body want to protect us from danger.  The common responses are fight, flight or freeze.  We know this.  And yet, we still don’t know how to deal with situations that scare us.

 

The next time you feel FEAR in any aspect of your life…a personal relationship moving to the next level, reaching a new success level professionally, trying something new, breaking out of your comfort zone…consider implementing these tips to walk through your FEAR and find the bliss and exhilaration on the other side:

 

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE?

Consider this for a moment.  Yes, you feel FEAR.  But if you do the thing that scares you, what do you have to lose?  What is the worst case scenario?  Write it down!  Write down all the scary possibilities.  Chances are they are not as bad as the result of NOT doing the fearful thing.

 

SAY YES BEFORE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT IT?

Overthinking is truly the enemy of progress.  If you haven’t read Mel Robbins’ 5 Second Rule we highly recommend it.  The main point is that when you think too long on anything you are likely to talk yourself out of it.  Instead, take a deep breath and countdown from 5…4…3…2…1.  And just do it!  Say yes!  Tell us how that feels in the comments below.

 

YOU MUST TAKE ACTION

Fear won’t magically disappear.  You have to look it right in the face and say, “NO MORE!”  And then take action steps to move through it.  For example, if you are fearful of asking for a promotion at work, start by educating yourself on the necessary skills you need to make yourself more promotable.  That promotion won’t come overnight.  So take the steps to make yourself the best candidate even when those steps seem overwhelming.  Start small and build on your progress. You will find the fear dissipate as you take action to make change.

roller coaster
Hallie about to go up the “Super Shot” at the Santa Barbara Fair

 

 

We all face fear regularly.  Some fears are bigger than others.  Some fears may feel silly or unimportant.  Some fears are legitimate and warrant some real self-work and self-awareness.  You have to decide if you are going to let your FEAR rule your life, or if you are willing to take back control.

 

You are a strong, In Demand Woman and we want you to feel empowered to live your best life.  Take the steps and walk through the fear.  You will feel exhilarated on the other side…just like you did when you went down the “Drop of Doom.”