You know that I LOVE to start my week with some positive words of wisdom:
Before you read this week’s email, make sure that you have read the first email in the series all about FEAR and how a negative impact it can have on us, which can be found here.
Fear-Inducing Habit #2: You keep the fear a secret.
One of the biggest problems that I feel that we all have with fear is keeping it to ourselves. When you keep the fear to yourself, it can easily take charge of your imagination and build a horrific and paralyzing nightmare in your mind. Being alone with the fear makes it is easy to lose touch with reality.
What to do instead:
Share your fear with a friend, loved one, mentor, or coach. By sharing and getting some level-headed input from someone, your fear can often be quickly deflated and seen for what it really is. Even just talking about it to someone who truly listens will release a lot of your anxiety and inner tensions.
Fear-Inducing Habit #3: You focus on aspects that will keep you stuck.
If you just focus on the negative things that could happen if you face your fear,it will be very hard to start moving forward.
What to do instead:
A change in perspective is needed. Talk to your friend, mentor, or coach and exchange ideas and experiences about what opportunities lie ahead if you move forward and face your fear. Focus on the positive and on the benefits of doing the thing that you’re afraid of.
Here are a few questions that have helped me to find the more constructive and positive perspective when I have faced a fear:
- What are the potential upsides that I want and can have by taking these actions?
- What are the potential upsides in one year if I start moving on this path? And in five years?
- How will my life be in five years if I continue on the fearful path that I am on today?
Talk these questions over with someone, or take out a piece of paper and write down the answers (or do both!)
Next week, I will talk all about the perils of misinterpreting your fears.
Carlos
