Facing Fear - Don't just do a toe check
Are you afraid?
Everybody has fears. It is just a part of life. You may be afraid of the dark; you may be afraid of tiny instincts; you may have a fear of heights; or you may have a fear of social situations. There are numerous fears out there. Some are very real and legite while others may stem from your own ability to hold yourself back. According to Wikipedia, "fear is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus."
By definition, fear is something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension. It is an emotion that is aroused inside of you. It is a concern or anxiety. Everybody has them; the difference is what you do to face them.
Top Ten Things to Fear
In a study done by Bill Tancer, he did research to see what people searched online for "fear of," to see what would come up. The thought behind this was people would seek out information on what they feared most. The results may be something you may also fear.
Here are the top 10 things he found people feared most.
- Flying
- Heights
- Clowns
- Intimacy
- Death
- Rejection
- People
- Snakes
- Failure
- Driving
Did your fear make the list?
Is there something you are afraid of that nobody else knows?
Do you know how to face those fears?
What do you do about it?
Facing fears is a difficult task. Frankly, not everybody is up to facing that task. The question is, are you going to be the person that faces your fears and comes out stronger or are you going to be the one who continues avoiding just because you are afraid?
The first thing you need to do is get out a piece of paper and a pen. Write down your fears. This is the first step. You need to see and know what you are really afraid of before you can confront them.
Once you see your list, you need to start bringing that list down. That means facing your fears one at a time. If you are afraid of heights and snakes, you don't need to bungee jump into a pit full of snakes. That is a bit excessive. However, you can start by going to somewhere high and peering over the side. Take in the endorphins racing through as you face your fear of heights. As for the snakes, go to a petting zoo and just touch one or hold one. You will be able to look that snake in the eye and see you are no longer afraid.
Most importantly though, you are going to need a support system. Once you have stated, out loud, that you are going to face your fears, bring someone else along for the ride. This way they are there to keep you going forward instead of backing out at the last minute. This will hold you accountable... and it might make for a fun day with a friends.
While you let fear get in the way
Selvatica - Welcome to the Jungle - Do you want to travel and find your fears are holding you back? Welcome to the Jungle. This little adventure not only can get you over your fear of flying, but it can also give you experiences you never thought you would dare try!
Scarred for Life - Sometimes life hands you twists in the road. You might be afraid of what will happen. But, remember you will come out of the experience being stronger than you were before.
Jump in with both feet!
Did you ever have that moment where you are about to go swimming, yet instead of just jumping in you dip in your toes to test the water. Why do you do that? What happened to that childlike attitude where you jump in with both feet... regardless of how cold the water might be! Are you afraid of how cold the water is? Do you think you will get hurt because of the temperature?
When it comes to facing your fears, sometimes you just need to go big. Don't just dip a couple toes in the water, jump in with both feet. That means if you have a fear of rollercoasters don't go on a Merry Go Round... go on a rollercoaster. Face that fear and don't be afraid to go for the jump. What will come out of it is a much stronger person. A much stronger you!
Who knows, what you might have once feared, might be something that you now enjoy. So jump in with both feet and stop doing the toe-check. You can do it!
So which fears are you ready to start facing?
