Vachana Jayaram | Never Let Fear Decide Your Fate

Fear is an amazing emotion that all living beings can experience. However, it can also be dangerous if we let it take over. When in danger, fear can make our body stiff and our mind blank, but if we overcome that single moment with our natural instincts, we can jump into action and move forward.

It's easy to do this when our life depends on it, but why do we struggle to get regular, less life-threatening activities done on a daily basis?

How does fear paralyze us when we need to stand in front of a crowd and speak a few words? How does it lead people to choose complacency over joy and convince us to do NOTHING?

There are different types of fear, such as fear of failure, fear of success, fear of responsibility, fear of abandonment, fear of being judged. Irrespective, fear is just a state of mind and can destroy lives that could have been lived meaningfully. When I was a child, I was carefree and believed I could do anything even though I wasn’t the best at it. However, as I reached college, I transformed to this person who only obsessed with what others thought of me! This fear of judgment led me to give excuses to myself as to why I shouldn't even attempt certain activities and handed myself a long list of proof why I wasn’t good at them. This version of me belongs to the 3rd quadrant of self-image, heavily influenced by "How YOU perceive others see you."?

Needless to say, I do not like this version of myself. As part of this journey, I have realized that fear of judgment is not worth taking up any mental space and I must get over this to give myself an opportunity to explore everything I am more than capable of achieving.

There were two immediate actions I'd decided to take towards this. One, was to publish an introductory video for the video series I will be launching soon -? “Let me introduce you to yourself: Self-Image 101” and another was to announce the date for a webinar / keynote speech I should be conducting shortly. I've not been successful in creating the video. However, the scheduled post on the webinar will be published on Wednesday 12 noon. (A loud sigh and a soft yay!)

Here are the key take-aways and life lessons I have leant from this experience. It can be useful for anyone struggling to overcome constant fear of being judged or fear in general:

1. Nobody cares about you as much as you think. Get over yourself.
2. Have a strong intent. If your intent is right, you'll overcome fear.
3. Take action and enjoy the process, rather than obsessing over the outcome.
4. Don't let complacency kill your buzz. Don't lead a dull life.
5. Celebrate even the smallest achievements. It's important to acknowledge progress.
6. Be inspired by every individual you meet and every situation you're in. It's valuable to find inspiration in everything.

In case you have missed, find links to previously posted articles        

1. Self-images: Their interactions and the impact?
2. The impact of childhood experiences
3. Are self-esteem and self-image the same?
4. Success doesn't equate to happiness - Story of Deepika Padukone
5. 5 Pointers that help you embrace change
6. Being your own cheerleader during minor setbacks
7. What's in a name? A lot more than you think
8. Top 3 reasons we need a Coach
9. Comparison is the thief of joy
10. How much thinking is overthinking?
11. Adversity introduces a man to himself
12. Recent Post - There is no failure. Only Feedback

Upcoming articles / events        

• 5 pointers that help find ourselves
• We know the 'Why'. Let's focus on the 'How'
• 'Find Your True North' - A keynote speech - Event date and registrations process will be announced on 29th March, 2023
• Take part in the poll launched recently - survey closes on 2nd of April, 2023

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Did you enjoy this week's newsletter and feel you have learnt something about the journey of self-discovery towards aligning with your true self and leading a meaningful life? If yes, please subscribe to the newsletter and share your thoughts and comments.?

Signing off,

Vachana Jayaram