We all have things that we fear whether we admit it or not. It could be fear of failure, rodents, public speaking, getting seriously hurt or many other small or big things. There are times it can even shake us to our core that makes us question ourselves. Admitting our fears can initially make us feel that we are weak or less than as it is not what is expected of ourselves, or we may be worried of what others think. But guess what, it’s okay to admit our fears as it reminds us that we are not bullet proof. The conceptual image of us needing to be strong without any weaknesses or at least hiding those weaknesses can be suffocating and makes us act or become who we are not. We should look to embrace who we are which include what we are fearful of. When we can do so we can breathe and see that things are not as bad as it seems. Bravery is not the absence of fear, but it is the ability to move forward in the face of it. J.B Mauney the two-time PBR bull riding champion says he has a little bit of fear every time who gets on a bull and anyone who says they don’t is lying. Being able to accept the things we are fearfully can help us in confronting them. It mentally acclimates us to what we expect that can allow us to act in the face it.
Our fears serve as a natural warning of what could happen and once we recognize and understand them we can work to overcome them. This natural warning causes us to pause which helps us to stop and think things through to iron the details we may have overlooked. Take moving away far from home as an example, doing it without thinking and planning it through can lead to poor results. For some, moving far away can be fearful but it can force them to figure out how much money is needed to move, where they will stay and how will they make a living. For some, avoiding their fears is how they live which seems sensible, but this actually limits the growth that they can experience as many wonderful opportunities will pass them by. We can use fears to our advantage by preparing ourselves to face them and not let it dictate our lives. By doing so, it empowers and helps us focus to overcome them. Without experiencing fear, it can be dangerous as we would have more pain than necessary. Think to when you must cross the street as cars are passing by, it’s scary to get hit by a car but paying attention to the traffic signals and the direction the cars are going can help minimize the risk of getting hit by one. And we can do the same with our fears.
Work to overcome your fears because many times it is really drama that we create in our head. Our minds can make things bigger than they actually are. Compartmentalize your fears by breaking it down into sections, this helps to make the feeling less significant. Write out specific parts and read it silently as it gives a more neutral stand that gives you distance from the displeasure. Once you go ahead confront your fears, focus on the process of doing it and not the outcome. Many times, we are more concerned with the outcome that takes away from our effectiveness to through it.
fear is interesting because we can fear things going well just as we can fear things going wring. For some people the fear is larger when things go well in their life..