Fear can be stifling. The fear of the unknown can stop us in our tracks! According to Psychology Today (2022) if people didn’t feel fear, they wouldn’t be able to protect themselves from legitimate threats. Fear is a vital response to physical and emotional danger that has been pivotal throughout human evolution, but especially in ancient times when men and women regularly faced life-or-death situations. Considering such, fear is put in place to ensure our safety. And although appreciated, we cannot let it stop every thing that intimidates us.
With such an idea, I am sure we can appreciate the sense of having a compass to navigate life, along with a mechanism to help preserve and keep us safe. But as with anything, too much of it is not good for you. Fear is a form of excitement, a response to a change in the environment that alters your emotions, mindset and response. A response to starting a business, securing a degree, accepting that new position can sometimes be centered by fear and apprehension. Consequently, there is also the fear of not being successful, namely, the fear of failure. But what about success? Why do we automatically neglect the idea of proclaiming, succeeding and actually being great at what we choose to actively pursue. Maybe it is the idea of not knowing what to expect or the idea of not having a form of control of the situation. When I first started my business by registering the entity as an LLC, my heart was pounding out of my chest and my mind was racing because I could not believe I was physically moving forward with what I had in my mind in terms of starting my own business. The idea alone gave me instant fear or according to Fritscher (2022) the physical response that is also known as the “fight or flight” response, with which your body prepares itself to either enter combat or run away. Knowingly, I redirected my brain and thought process to think that such a response was a form of acceptance, excitement and confirmation to make it happen for myself. Instead of flight, I actively chose fight.
Either way, my request is simple: We cannot stop the fear response, but we can redirect that energy to motivate us to pursue the life of our dreams. I may be sounding whimsical at the moment however I do believe that you can make it ALL happen for yourself if you redirect the energy fear gives. Let that feeling motivate you to know that there is success on the other side, to at minimum, try and see what the future holds! Utilize that excitement to ignite an amazing path towards your future. You may not get it on the first try, not even the second, but to say that you moved forward is a great testament towards the right direction. Life is meant to be lived, it is a journey - not a checklist. So fasten-up and enjoy the ride life brings from the lessons learned through losses to the wins to be won!
References:
Psychology Today Staff. (n.d.). Fear. Https://Www.Psychologytoday.Com/Us/Basics/Fear. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/fear
Fritscher, L. (2022, February 10). The Psychology Behind Fear. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-psychology-of-fear-2671696
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