"Learning Steps to Overcoming Fear" from Jacqueline Wales

Yvonne Walus shares the following "Learning Steps to Overcoming Fear" from Jacqueline Wales, author of The Fearless Factor, at the Creative Learning Center - www.clc.co.nz

“Being Fearless is not the absence of fear, but the choices and decisions we make when fear shows up in our lives.”

Fear is one of the most powerful motivating forces in the human experience. It is the clarion call that signals there is something you need to change in order to live a completely fulfilled life. Honoring this feeling is the greatest gift you can give yourself.

It is also normal. We all have it, and we all have to deal with it.

What is Fear?

The dictionary describes it as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain etc., whether the threat is real or imagined.

Fear is one of the strongest words in the human emotional language. We would rather say we were anxious, worried or nervous than say outright we are afraid. Somehow the word fear connotes weakness or intense vulnerability so we prefer to cloak it in ambiguous language like “I don’t feel like it; it doesn’t work for me; I’m too tired, too busy, or too stressed. Fear leads to anger, inappropriate behavior, offensive language or complete rejection. We find tons of excuses to avoid ‘feeling’ the fear because we all know that fear is alarming, abrasive, unpleasant and painful.

But fear is also imagination based. We predicate our reactions on what happened in the past so it may happen in the future. We forget that in the now is the gift, the present, and we can choose whatever we want from our menu of offerings.

If fear is imagination based, then we can choose our reactions can’t we? We can make choices and decisions that take courage and risk, and although fear will never be absent from your life, you are in control of it. No one else.

So ask yourself:

• What fears are holding you back? Are these fears real or imagined?
• What would you have done differently if fear had not gotten in the way?
• Where in your life do you hide your fear by filling your time with busyness, distractions or pushing the emotion away?
• Finish the phrase: Because of fear, I abandoned my dreams of becoming…….
• What would it look like if you could remove fear from your life? What benefits do you think you would gain?

Fear is a choice and learning how to get beyond it is the secret to living your best life now. It is the secret to overcoming any challenge in your life.

(Jacqueline Wales is known the world over as The Black Belt Millionaire. Her unique programs have helped women around the globe develop strong personal success, confident communication and clear visions of their goals. She is the author of five books including The Fearless Factor available at http://www.thefearlessfactorbook.com)