FEAR Prepared by: Claire Wright Life & Success Coach Lifting Her Founder How To Overcome Fear And Make It Your New BFF Simple Steps Fear is an emotion and like all emotions, they serve a purpose. That purpose - communication! Sadly, society endorses a 'good vibes only' mentality and so when we experience 'negative' emotions, we tend to see them as an enemy and not a potential bff. But guess what. Feeling fear is not only normal. It is fundamentally part of the human condition. We just need to get better at listening to what it is actually telling us and respond appropriately. FEAR IS A WELL INTENTIONED DRAMA QUEEN When we are threatened, the flight-fight-freeze response is activated to help us survive. It's evolutionary. In modern times, fear - although it means well, tends to get a bit over excited in situations that don't necessarily require the f-f-f response. (I respond to balloons bursting like it's a gun fired!) Fear can be healthy and preventative. But it can also be unhealthy and unnecessary So when you want to challenge your comfort zone, fear pops up from deep inside and holds you back, shouting "nooo, you can't", "don't be an idiot" . It thinks it's having your back, but it's costing you your happiness and keeping you stuck; based on old and incorrect messages, filed away in your brain archives. That's why overcoming your fears can be one of the most liberating pursuits you can undertake. When you learn to control and make friends with it, you can use it to your advantage, to fuel your motivation and future strategies. FEAR: THE BASICS 0 2 HERE'S HOW: 7 SIMPLE STEPS Put some time aside to sit alone and observe your thoughts, feelings and body sensations. Consider creating a space that makes you feel safe and comfortable to do this. Be specific as you can and write down what comes up. This maybe in the form of visual or auditory representations. Meditation and mindfulness practice can assist in gaining a greater clarity on what is driving your fear. What exactly are you afraid of? 0 3 STEP 2: IDENTIFY STEP 1: ACCEPT Fear is NORMAL. Failure is NORMAL. Give yourself permission to feel all the feels and emotions, not just "good vibes only". Emotions are trying to tell us something, whatever you are feeling - anxious, overwhelmed. Befriend it, don't avoid it. Listen, as it's likely a subconscious fear trying to communicate. STEP 3: DO NOTHING Next time your fear kicks in suddenly, rather than react instinctively. Do nothing! Sitting with your fear can help stop other harmful behaviours kicking in such as comfort eating, turning to alcohol, anger or repressing the feeling entirely. Instead, sit with it and reflect. Repeat Step 2. This can lead to a more effective, productive and deliberate action. The truth is: if a reason doesn't stop everyone, it's an excuse, not an actual roadblock. Recognise your BS! "I'm tired", "I'm busy with other things", "I haven't got time". Be honest with yourself. Is this the truth or the story you're telling yourself to avoid doing it? Excuses are an easy and less painful option. But they won't help you achieve your goal in the long run and the ultimate cost is the quality and impact on your life. 0 4 STEP 5: EXCUSES STEP 4: BUILD YOUR ESTEEM Self -esteem is how highly you think of yourself. How much confidence you have. Insecurity is how unstable your confidence is. To deal with your fears, build your confidence and trust in yourself. Trust that you make good decisions. Research and learn and if you make a mistake, so what? correct it. It's a process! Confidence is built on accomplishments. No matter how small or big, achieving day-to-day goals will leave you feeling much better. STEP 6: FLIP THE SCRIPT Adopt a growth mindset. Get comfortable with what you don't know and keep going anyway. There's a reason life is about the journey. What happens between point A and B is where the biggest growth and change occurs. No matter how slow progress is or how many mistakes or failures occur, these are all valuable insights and information to learn from. Remember: You are still way ahead of everyone who isn't trying! Where focus goes, energy flows! You've identified your problems, now give power and energy to your solutions. Set compelling goals - don't set yourself goals that are boring and uninspiring. Establish goals that when achieved will make you want to scream "f**king get in!" or do a random celebratory dance. Understand how achieving it will positively impact and change your life for the better and if you don't, what will it cost you? Once you know a goal is essential and a must , you will feel inspired to act as it eclipses all fear. Visualise your goal. Train your brain to believe anything is possible. Overcoming fear requires practice, so apply these habits daily so purposeful action is taken. LEARN MORE How you respond to your fears is what sets you apart from the rest. Identify and overcome your own barriers with one of my personalised coaching packages, where you'll be supported to go within and learn how to overcome fear so you can start to move forwards and live the life you want! 0 5 STEP 7: GOALS P r o m p t i n g m e w i t h p o w e r f u l q u e s t i o n s t o f i n d m y o w n s u p e r p o w e r w i t h i n , C l a i r e c h a l l e n g e d m e w i t h c o m p a s s i o n a n d t r a n s p a r e n c y t o c h a l l e n g e m y c o m f o r t z o n e , w h i c h h e l p e d l i g h t t h e f i r e t o m y p a t h o f s e l f - a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t I ' m n o w e m b r a c i n g e v e r y s i n g l e d a y . “You know who never has inconvenient or uncomfortable feelings? Dead people. Tough emotions are part of our contract with being alive” S U S A N D A V I D