Fear is a Game

Change is more scared of you than you are of it!

Take a moment to reminisce regarding a time in your life when you had to do something frightening. Do you have it pictured clearly in your mind? Remember starting that business and having to make your first sales pitch? How about when you gave birth to your first baby? Maybe you remember way back in high school when you were forced into giving a public speech for a club. Whatever the circumstance feel that feeling for just a minute.

Certainly feeling fear isn't the most pleasant experience anyone can face. There is a tight grip in your stomach. You get all sweaty and even have some shakes. Your voice might be unsteady and all that is running through you from head to toe is a dripping anxiety.

Now, hold on a moment. Did I just describe fear? Or did I just describe excitement? Think about it. Now that you've pictured a fearful moment in your life, I want you to reverse the channel and think about a time when you were incredibly excited about something you were about to do. Maybe on your way to ride a favorite roller coaster. Maybe it was your wedding (okay, so that one could fit in the fear category, also). Maybe it was right after a successful meeting that announced a promotion to you. Are you there? Now compare the two feelings.

If I described the latter, I could use the exact same words that described what it felt like to be afraid. There is a tight grip in your stomach. You get all sweaty and even have some shakes. Your voice might be unsteady and all that is running through you from head to toe is a dripping anxiety. Now that you associated the same exact emotion with a positive event, those feelings don't seem so bad, do they?

We feel paralyzed by fear only when WE put a negative connotation to it. The actual feelings in the pit of our stomach and so forth are just feelings that your body is producing. The meaning behind it is what our mind produces. Take this tip next time you feel the fear beginning to take over. Remind yourself that you feel exactly the same way when you are about to embark on a thrilling ride. Allow your body to let you feel those sensations but control your mind into thinking you are excited rather than fearful. The power is now yours.