Fear puts roadblocks in front of us that keep us from doing the very things that would bring us the most joy. To let go of fear, remind yourself:
- Your fears rarely manifest.
- Fear creates the same bodily sensations that excitement does.
- Irrational fear dissipates when you take the first action step.
Our logical mind tells us why we are not doing something or why we shouldn’t do it. Often, those reasons sound something like: I don’t have the time, I can’t afford it, I’m not capable of it … These words are rarely the truth. They are, however, concepts that our society has come to believe and that throw a net of fear around our desires.
Sometimes the voice of fear is so loud that we can’t hear the “still small voice within.” What do you really want to do that you haven’t done? If you’ve lost touch with your desires, think back to your childhood dreams, joys and gifts. What do you want? Commit to doing it and you commit to yourself.
Here are some techniques to use when fear grabs hold of you.
- Thank the voice of fear for sharing and ask it to take a seat on the couch. Often it just wants to be heard. It’s your choice whether you act upon the fear or the joy.
- Hold hands with the fear and let it walk beside you as you move forward with your desires. Mark Twain said: “The only way around it, is through it.”
- Listen to the words the voice is using. “I should” is a red flag warning you to avoid getting caught in fulfilling other people’s expectations that are not in your best interest. “I want” is a green light unless your actions will cause real harm, versus imagined harm, to yourself or others.
- Perform a ritual to banish the fear. A common one is to write your fears down, tear them up and throw them away. An alternative is to burn them and spread the ashes in your garden to symbolically fertilize your dreams.
- For those of you who have worked with me, you can discover and dissolve your hidden fears by doing the crayoning and writing exercise.
When the voice of fear gets very loud, insistent and intimidating, you’re just a step away from freedom. Take that step and feel the joy.
Contact Paula for:
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