Facing Your Fears
Have you ever made a list of the things that really scare you? Beyond the usual candidates of spiders, snakes and things that go bump in the night, most of us carry fears that are rarely discussed but still cast a dark shadow on our dreams and aspirations for a happier or more successful life. Yet, understanding our deeper fears and exposing them to the light of day can be a powerful way to free ourselves from any limiting habits and self-sabotaging behaviours. Let’s take a closer look.
One of the more obvious examples that affects far too many people today is the fear of failure. It’s easy to understand where this particular fear comes from. It’s just a natural reaction to pain, whether the discomfort is physical, mental or emotional. We’ve all experienced the bitter sting of failure and that can be a defining moment when we decide that the pain was too much to bear. The result is a decision to avoid situations where anything resembling the pain could be repeated. We lower our aim. We scale back on our dreams and goals. We quietly prepare our excuses for quitting when the going gets tough. We step around situations that could trigger our old discomforts. But there is another way.
We know that facing our fears is an exceptionally powerful way of disarming our old avoidance response. Fear cannot survive in the light of logic, reason and critical analysis. Yes, it requires an element of courage but, like any worthy habit, the more we practise the virtue of facing our fears, the more control we will exercise over our lives and our potential.
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Let's choose to embrace the gift of this life with a bold determination to break free from our fears and doubts and limitations. Whatever you’re afraid of, turn to face it and make a powerful commitment each day to rise above your obstacles and fulfill all of your potential.