Being Weighed Down By Fear?

There I was, on a bus filled with likeminded entrepreneurs with no idea where we were headed.

This was all part of the immersion with my mentor.

After stopping at a restaurant, we eagerly awaited as we were 

about to be told what adventures we were going to get up to today.

We listened to a motivational speech about needing to let go,

being ready for our future, blah blah….

“Oh, and you’re going to be jumping out of a plane”, he added.

Wait, WHAT?! Did I hear that correctly?

The feelings between us all were mutual, 

you could hear nervous giggles and chuckles spread around the room.

I was extremely excited and afraid.

This was something on my bucket list, 

but I had never expected it to happen so soon, 

was I ready for this?

We were asked to write down any limiting beliefs and 

habits from our past that we needed to let go. 

We would take these cards with us on the plane 

and we would literally let go of our past.

Before I knew it, I was sitting on the edge of the plane with my feet freely hanging mid-air.

I was hanging on for dear life, yelling at the top of my lungs 

while my colleagues behind me were having a good laugh.

Then we dropped out of the plane and honestly, it all happened so quickly. 

It was such a sensational and magical blur, freefalling through the clouds.

Floating back down to earth was so peaceful and refreshing.

I left the old me behind and with my two feet freshly on the ground again, 

I was even stronger and more confident to see life in a new way.

Fear is such a powerful emotion; it demands to be felt.

Despite us all being afraid of very different things, we all react. 

For some our stomachs churn, our mouths get dry, 

our palms get sweaty and our body refuses to move.

It is one of the biggest problems that business owners face in their day-to-day life, 

forcing them to miss out on so many amazing opportunities.

We should remember that fear isn’t always a bad thing, it is a survival instinct.

There is a difference between a healthy fear 

(warning us from getting too close to that fire) 

and a fear that controls your quality of life.

Here are steps to keep your fear under control 

and to release the reigns holding you from going forth in your business 

and showing everyone just how badass of a leader you can be.

Let it out, identify the Fear!

Find yourself someone you can trust; a close friend, a relative or perhaps a counsellor.

We humans are funny creatures, we think that venting our fears out to someone will result in them laughing at us or being looked at with less respect. Sometimes a respected friend might be just the right solution and will have a different perspective on the situation.

Nip the Chatter in your Head

You probably don’t even realise it but the silent talk in your head can and will exaggerate the fear. "

If I do that I might end up being laughed at or rejected. People will think I’m a loser."

Challenge these fearful thoughts out loud and challenge the worst outcome. Would it really happen? And then put the thoughts to rest, don’t give them the power to exaggerate the fear.

Take control of the things you can so that you have a good starting place to face the things that you can’t.

Create a Sense of Security

Give this a go: Set your tasks to a daily routine when you know you’ll have energy and be productive each day. Hang out with others who will lift your spirits or help you achieve goals.

We’re creatures of habits, we find comfort in the familiar. Use it to your advantage!

Relax!

There are so many different relaxation techniques online, it shouldn’t take long to find the right one for you.

Some ideas could include meditation, reading a book, listening to music, exercise or just indulging in the beauty of nature.

Allow yourself to press the reset button weekly to keep yourself sane.

Face Your Demons Head-On

Now, you should remember that this is a process, do it in steps and don’t push yourself.

Many things make us feel afraid. Feeling afraid, say of fires, can keep you safe.That's a safety fear. But fearing new actions in your business can also stop you doing well if the feeling is too strong.

If your fear is public speaking, there are two ways you can try getting over this fear. Ask to be a guest on someone's else's full auditorium and just do it. Keep getting up there till you feel more confident. 

Or don’t sign up to perform a speech for a full auditorium just take in slower steps.

Take steps to build yourself up to where you want to be. Taking speech lessons, prepare a small presentation to a group, prepare a small presentation to another company, etc.

Doing the thing you’re afraid of most is the best antidote!