Fear, like all other feelings, is informational and signals us about our internal state of mind. It is an emotion that we often try to avoid at all costs.
When the emotional part of our brain perceives a threat, it sends danger signals to our body. Fear alerts us to danger and prepares us to respond to it. Early humans needed the rapid, high-powered responses that fear generates because they were often in situations of physical danger.
The same applies to modern times in the context of social survival. For instance, we may fear that we are not lovable, capable, or worthy enough. The feelings of fear, both physically and mentally, can be overwhelming when we face something unfamiliar. Over time, fear has developed a bad rap. For many people, fear becomes a barrier to success. In actuality, fear is the barrier between comfort and opportunity.
False & Self-limiting Beliefs
Our personal identity, or how we view ourselves, determines our actions or lack thereof. Whether we realize it or not, we are playing by a set of rules. The story we tell ourselves sets the bar for a certain level of growth – a certain level of joy, and a certain amount of time to do what we love. Our personal beliefs create perimeters around our perceived capabilities, what is acceptable, and what we deserve.
When we step beyond our self-imposed limitations, a feeling of fear or nervousness about what might happen begins to consume us. We worry about what people might think, what we might lose, what life might have in store for us. Fear shows us when we have stepped out of our comfort zone. At which point, we have two choices: we can give up on what we hope to accomplish, or we can push ourselves to move forward.
Obstacle or Opportunity?
There is no such thing as a fearless leader. Every person experiences fear at some point. Changing our perception of fear allows us to change our approach. What makes others more successful is how they interpret and deal with fear. We don’t need to let fear define us. It is our response to fear that matters.
Image provided by Angela Galindo.
The presence of fear will appear at various times in our lives. Avoiding fear prevents the need to search for courage. Learning to recognize fear as a tool for personal growth helps us discover our authentic self. Fear can be incredibly useful in pushing us out of our comfort zone, which in turn, causes us to grow.
The first step is facing our fears, which allows us to recognize them. The next step is changing our perception of fear, so that we may create a different approach in dealing with it. Dealing with our fears teaches us new things about ourselves and brings personal growth.
The bottom line: Fear is a growth-indicator. It’s a positive force that taps us into our inner strength.
Identify Your Fears & Live Your Life
When you feel fear, you can begin by being conscious about how you are feeling. Then, take a pen and paper and write those feelings down. Taking abstract thoughts and putting truths on paper can help you learn more about yourself and the process. Here are some questions to get you started:
5 Questions to Break Down Your Fears:
- What am I fearing/afraid of?
- What good can come from this?
- Why should I not be afraid of this?
- Set short-term goals: What action do I need to take now?
- Why do I need to take this action (find your purpose)?
Remember, fear is only as deep as the mind allows. There is never a moment in time that we cannot begin again. There is not a situation in which we can never emerge into something different or choose to take a different path. We can always rewrite our story!