Let’s be honest. I had plans to start this blog nearly 5 years ago. I purchased a website, created a template, and wrote several hundred blog ideas… none of which have come to see the light of day—until now.
So what took me soooo long to get started? Fear.
Fear of failure.
Fear of judgment.
Fear I wasn’t good enough.
Fear of being a fraud.
The thing about fear is that it is a natural human response that is necessary for our survival. A healthy dose of fear is incredibly beneficial. If we never experienced fear, we wouldn’t be signaled to know that jumping off a cliff, touching fire, or swimming with sharks are not the greatest ideas. We can be thankful for our cavemen ancestors who used fear to plan, predict, and ultimately protect our species.
The problem with fear is that in excess, it can be completely debilitating and it can stop us from pursuing our dreams. If a bird is too fearful to leap out of its nest for its first flight, not only will it never learn the skills necessary for survival such as finding food for itself, but it may also never know the beauty of flying.
Trying to overcome our fears is instinctively challenging because subconsciously, the caveman in us is triggered by the worst-case scenario: Death. If we leave the comfort of our cave, what freakish 20 feet tall, sharp teeth monster is outside waiting to eat us!? The irony is, in order to really live, we need to overcome our fears and put ourselves out there. We can hide in our caves all day and never take any risks, but how would that even count as living? Consider this: Would you rather die of starvation and boredom in that cave or see a bit of the world and experience a few exhilarating moments before succumbing to the inevitable that is death. Let’s put it this way: Either way, we’re dying.
Whoa—Now this post isn’t supposed to be morbid, but I promise there’s a point to this. I’m not saying to impulsively jump out of a 20-story building and come crashing to your death just for the thrill of it, but I’m talking about making calculated risks where the potential benefits outweigh your current circumstances. I’m talking about not just surviving each day until our last breath, but really thriving—soaring! I’m talking about seeing that mountain top ahead of you and following that aching sensation in the depth in your soul telling you that you need to move forward in that path in front of you to witness that view. Because what do you have to lose if you do? What do you have to lose if you don’t? Personally, I’d rather die trying than living a life full of regrets and should of, would of, could of’s.
There may be consequences for taking risks, but perhaps what is even more true is that the consequences may be greater if we don’t take any risks at all. I say, let’s hop that nest and learn to soar.
So how do we overcome debilitating fear in order to live a more meaningful life?
1. Embrace and accept fear.
The more we try to fight the fear or suppress it, the more it has control over us. Think of it as learning how to float on water. The more we struggle with it, the more we sink. The more we trust the process and relax, the more likely it is that we can float on water. If we acknowledge that fear is scary and real, but trust that we can manage it, the less it will have a hold on us.
2. Weigh the pros and cons of going against fear.
Ask yourself why you want to go against fear. Do the consequences of staying comfortable outweigh the benefits of facing the fear? What is the worst that can happen and what is the likelihood that you will be able to manage that? What is the worst that can happen if you don’t face the fear?
3. Make a decision and just JUMP!
Once you have come to the conclusion that the pros outweigh the cons, get out of your head and just JUMP! Often what stops us from achieving our goals is not whether or not we think it’s a good idea to pursue, but getting stuck spinning around the idea in our minds instead of taking action. Take a deep breath to clear your mind, get into your body, and JUMP–literally and figuratively!
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