| What is fear anyway? In my humble opinion, all fears | | | | friends and society will discard their ideas, dreams and |
| are hypothetical trepidations of uncertain events or | | | | aspiration as silly or not worthwhile. |
| happenings in the future. It's simple as that. Think | | | | Not Succeeding (failure): Of course, the fear of failing |
| about it--we are afraid of something that has not yet | | | | and not being able to do what you set out to |
| happened. We create a situation of what we think | | | | accomplish. |
| my happen to us, and we become fearful of the | | | | Being Embarrassed: People are in fear of being |
| illusionary outcome. Is it logical to fear what has not | | | | humiliated. |
| happened? | | | | Guilt: People feel guilty or are made to feel guilty by |
| Fear is the psychological, emotional and physiological | | | | those nay-Sayers and un-achievers they are leaving |
| response to our thoughts of a situation. Fear evokes | | | | behind. |
| our most basic of all responses: fight or flight. Some | | | | Being Isolated: The fear of being alone with no |
| fears, of course, are very healthy. For example, | | | | support as you venture out of your comfort zone |
| when your safety or well-being is at risk. But even | | | | and circle of friends. |
| safety related fears could cause more problems than | | | | When we can place all our fears into several |
| the problem itself! Fear can lead to panic, and panic | | | | identifiable categories, we can then begin to redirect |
| can cloud your mind and paralyze you. This fear/panic | | | | our mid-set to thoughts of encouragement, |
| reaction is the downfall of most people in dangerous | | | | empowerment and support. Let's take the above six |
| circumstances and not the result of the situation | | | | fears and change the way we think about them: |
| itself. People who train themselves to control these | | | | Try changing Not being Good Enough to At Least I'm |
| fear-based reactions in stressful and dangerous | | | | Doing Something: Change Not being Accepted to I |
| situations are more able to deal with them | | | | am Unique and Creative: Change Not Succeeding to I |
| appropriately. | | | | am Happy Doing My Best and Trying: Instead of |
| More commonly, it is the everyday fears of the | | | | Being Embarrassed; Always Laugh at Yourself First: |
| future that paralyze people into not taking action to | | | | Change Feeling Guilty to I'm Deserving of all That |
| move forward with their lives or peruse their dreams. | | | | Comes My Way: Transform Feeling Isolated to Being |
| Some of the more common future related fears are: | | | | in Transition to a Newer, Better Place: |
| fear of not being good enough; fear of rejection; | | | | This process will work for any and all fears you have |
| fear of failure; fear of being embarrassed; feelings of | | | | associated with future events, whether it is work, |
| guilt and fear of being isolated. | | | | family or personal related. Identify the fear, and |
| We must learn to welcome these fears and face | | | | simply look at the positive side. The things you look |
| them head on. Become familiar with what keeps you | | | | at will seem different if you change the way you |
| back, and learn to overcome fear-based reactions by | | | | perceive at them. Change the thoughts of fear and |
| changing your thought processes. When you are able | | | | negativity to ones of optimism and success, and |
| to do this, you can easily move past fear-based | | | | watch your life blossom. |
| thinking and embrace the future. | | | | Falling prey to self-generated fears will only keep you |
| Redirecting fears to thoughts of empowerment. | | | | in a place of frustration and mediocrity. Change |
| Let's try a very effective process that many others | | | | fear-based thinking to feelings of empowerment and |
| and myself have used successfully to move past | | | | self-confidence in your ability to control and create |
| fears. Think of these most common life fears: | | | | your own destiny. Know that fears are illusionary and |
| Not being Good Enough: Not necessarily being a | | | | created by thought. You have the ability to direct |
| failure, but being inadequate and not up to standard. | | | | you own thinking. Choosing to face the uncertainty |
| Some people fear, although accomplishing their tasks, | | | | of the future head on with enthusiasm and vigor will |
| they look bad while doing it. | | | | propel you past your fears and into a life of |
| Not being Accepted (rejection): A lot of people are | | | | happiness and success. |
| afraid of being rejected. They fear that family, | | | | |