Stepping Out of the Shadows of Fear

Fear is critical to our survival.  It keeps us protected from legitimate threats and danger.  But the thing is, if we only had life threatening fears, we’d be a very different society.

Instead, we also have some irrational fears based on traumas or bad experiences, or those all too often "hand-me-down" fears from well-meaning, but sometimes ill-advised relatives.

Take a quick inventory in your own head... what you are afraid of?

Fear of heights is a common one, at the top of the list for many, and definitely a legitimate fear. (although some go to extremes - but there is a danger element in falling)

What else makes your list?  Wild animals? Spiders? Flying? Swimming? Public Speaking? Pain? Rejection? Relationships? People?

Anything irrational? 

Fears are thoughts that we create based on experiences, either that we have had or others have had and have imprinted onto our minds.

These fears are created, perpetuated and held in our minds.  Sometimes even becoming so intense that we develop anxieties and find our fears crippling our progress.

By giving in and accepting our fears, we can't move forward.  We can't grow.  We're stopped in our tracks.

For example, fear of failure is very common and comes in varying degrees.

It keeps people from progressing in their careers, relationships, and commitments.

People who exhibit this fear tend to stay in dead-end jobs, stay in bad marriages, and often just take the hand that’s dealt to them... accepting life as is and not daring to risk failing so why bother, why try?

How about fear of rejection?  Thinking, "I’m not good enough anyway… I can’t do that job, I don’t have the credentials or experience and they won’t like me anyway…"

So frustrating, right?  We all know someone like this.  Maybe it’s us?

Maybe we need a little push, a little self-confidence, a realization that the fear we carry with us is made up, it's make-believe.

We can change our thinking and let go of whatever trauma we hold on to that makes the fear so real – so tangible – so part of our lives that we accepted long ago that it just... IS. 

Sometimes we need help from others to work through our fears.  Sometimes we need a trusting mentor to show us the way. A guide on our journey to help break free from these chains of fear that have become a part of our daily routines.

Let's work to bit by bit, to escape from what holds us back.

Need some help to figure it out? We'd love to walk alongside you in your journey.