Is Fear Stopping You From Following Your Passion?
For years I was held back by fear.
I wanted to follow my passion and build a business around my passion, but I was scared out of my mind.
I doubted my abilities. I worried what others would think. I was uncertain if I would be able to succeed.
So I did nothing.
Until one day, I became so sick of believing my fears that I took action anyway. I was way out of my comfort zone, but I took one step at a time.
What I discovered was that the fear in my head was not reality.
I keep doing my best, because that’s all we can do.
The Art Of Labeling Fear
When you dive deep into what we call fear, you discover that it is a label we’ve put on a flow of energy in our body.
The instant we label fear, it becomes something “bad.” We’ve learned that fear is to be avoided.
But should it really? What is fear when you strip away all the beliefs, ideas and thoughts around it?
It’s just another emotion. What if you had learned that fear is a sign that you’re growing? It’s a sign that something positive is happening. Would that have changed your life? You see, how you view fear determines how you react to it. So fear is not the problem. How you react to fear is what you should be focused on.
(Sidenote: Use common sense. Sometimes fear is a sign of danger. But often it’s not and it keeps most people from living their dreams.)
How to Melt Fear
The fears we experience happen in our head. We literally make them up, which means we can “unmake” them. But trying to get rid of fear only makes it worse, so this is not about trying to push away fear, but about allowing it to be there.
Imagine that you’re sitting at home, and you’re waiting for an old friend to come for a visit. The door bell rings, you go and open the door and welcome your friend in. That feeling of opening up and letting your friend in is how you melt fear. You open up to whatever you’re feeling and you let it be in your body.
Don’t analyze. Don’t try to figure it out. And don’t try to push away the fear. Just welcome whatever is going on. Welcome even the wanting to push away the fear if it’s uncomfortable. Welcome even the thought that it is uncomfortable.
Open up to whatever is there and be with what you’re feeling. Most people try to run away, and it doesn’t work.
What If Your Fears Are Too Strong?
What if you welcomed the thought that it’s too strong and let it be? There’s no need to do anything with it. Watch it pass by like a leaf floating down a river.
The problem starts when you believe thoughts that pop up. We can’t control what thoughts come up, but we can change our reaction to them. If a thought comes up that says “you’re not good enough to be doing this, so you might as well stop now,” you can observe it, and let it be.
You don’t have to start analyzing and trying to get rid of it. Let it be and re-focus on whatever you were doing. It’s not easy, but the more you do this, the better you get.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that fear is our own creation. Yes, it still feels uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to stop you from doing what you love.
Once you get into the habit of welcoming fear in, your life will change. No longer will you be stopped by fear, but be propelled by it. Fear is there to tell you that you’re growing and that you’re on the right track. So keep doing your best.
And follow your excitement.
Because that is all you can do.
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Written on 13/2/2013 by Henri Junttila. Henri is the founder of Wake Up Cloud and Lifestyle Liberation Academy, where he helps people turn their passion into a thriving lifestyle business. When you feel ready to take action, join the Lifestyle Liberation Newsletter and grab your free goodies. | Photo Credit: Samuel |
