Go Beyond Fear!

I had lost my inner fire, and having that next promotion didn’t matter anymore. My heart had moved on, and it was the end of a chapter that I didn’t want to let go of. 

Once every few weeks, I’d have a meltdown, make a list of the pros and cons, and then convince myself to keep going.

I had secretly been dreaming of gifting a start up to my parent for long, but it felt risky, and I was paralyzed by the idea of not knowing if I’d succeed. I had a family to take care of, and I couldn’t “afford” to take the “wrong path” and make mistakes. This change had to be “worth it.” 

It felt like I had to choose between staying in my job, or jumping off a cliff and hurting myself in the unknown. I was frozen by fear.

Things started to change for me when I realized that I had been making decisions out of fear, and that this fear was not only causing me pain, it was also preventing me from living the life that I really wanted.

Then one day, I decided to jump.

Many of us have fears, but they are either hidden, or we choose to ignore them. Fear can show up as procrastination, an excuse, a false perception we have about reality, or as a limiting belief we have about others and ourselves.

“I’m too old for this” or “They will never hire someone like me” are great ways to make sure we will never do something. For what seems like a legitimate reason for not moving forward is in reality a made-up excuse created by the mind to protect us from potential harm. In my case, wanting to make the “right choice” and avoid mistakes was, in reality, hiding a fear of failure. I realized that I was unconsciously trying to avoid being exposed to loss and inadequacy.

So the first step is to be honest with yourself, to go beyond the surface, and to acknowledge that it is fear that is really holding you back. When you understand that fear is trying to serve you in a positive way, you will be in a better position to truly process the emotion, to act in your best interest, and to let it go.

Take a moment to imagine what your future would look like if nothing changed. Reflect on the consequences of not following your dreams and the cost of the status quo in all areas of your life. What are the downsides of this “default future” of yours? How painful is it?

To me, not pursuing this change meant being trapped in a system where I didn’t feel like myself and living the rest of my life on autopilot. Those thoughts were horrible. Gaining awareness of the impact of not changing your situation is a compelling way to motivate you to step into fear, and to take action.

Failure does not exist when we change our mindset and choose to use our obstacles and challenges to our advantage. Whatever happens, we don’t fail; we grow, we learn, we live. When I started seeing life as an adventure where nothing is forever and mistakes are part of the journey, a huge weight came off my shoulders.

So instead of considering change as a risk, see it instead as an opportunity for you to grow and to become a better, stronger version of yourself.

Open up to new ideas and have a different perspective on life by surrounding yourself with like-minded people. Get inspired, guided, and motivated to go for your dreams by connecting with others that have done what you want to do. Seek a mentor, a coach, or a support group to keep yourself accountable and to accomplish your goals no matter what comes up in your life.

In my own case, surrounding myself with other entrepreneurs was transformational. I developed close relationships with people who genuinely understood my situation, provided helpful advice, and supported my decisions.

Start by taking baby steps to build confidence and become more comfortable with the process. Break your objectives down into realistic, measurable milestones that will help you measure your progress, and work on them one at a time. With each milestone that you check off the list, your self-assurance will grow, giving you added momentum in your journey.

I developed my experience and skills part-time, and, when I felt ready, I made the full transition.

Fear is normal. It’s an emotion that will never disappear, no matter what you do. It shows up as a natural signal that you are about to step into something new that will help you expand and live a fully charged life.

Are you ready to have the life you desire? Take action and don’t let fear stop you from creating it.

#morewelessme #fearless