Do It Scared: Stop Letting Fear Hold You Back
When you’re focused on becoming confident and fulfilled in life, it won’t be long until you bump up against some fears. Maybe you worry about what other people will think. Perhaps you doubt you can accomplish your goals. Maybe you’re trying something no one else has done before. Whatever your reasons, fear is a natural part of the process. It’s your inner voice trying to keep you safe.
The problem is that you can’t grow if you’re always living in your safety zone. If you truly want to grow and become confident and fulfilled in life, you have to leave the comfort of the known. Here are a few tips to make that journey easier…
Take a Tiny Step
Shannon had almost drowned as a child and she was afraid to go near bodies of water after that. So when a friend invited her on a trip to the beach, she almost turned her down. Then she remembered that she was working on becoming confident and fulfilled in life.
She took a tiny step by going to her local store and purchasing a swimsuit. A few days later, she went to her local swimming pool and observed a kind instructor teaching his students how to float.
The next time she went to the pool, she went into the water ankle high. She kept focusing on the tiny steps one at a time so her big goal didn’t feel quite so overwhelming or impossible.
Ask for Accountability
Sometimes, overcoming a fear is easier if you know other people are watching you. For example, Diane wanted to finish a book. She’d started several but never actually completed one. So she announced publicly that she would be writing her novel this year.
She joined an online writing group and posted daily about her progress. Knowing that her fellow writers were following her journey gave her the courage to keep going. Even on the days when she didn’t feel like writing, she still showed up because she didn’t want to let herself down.
Create a Point of No Return
Brenda had struggled with video marketing for years. She wanted to do it but she was terrified of messing up in front of the camera. So she would record a few takes, get discouraged that her videos weren’t perfect then give up.
But Brenda’s husband encouraged her to create a point of no return so that she had to post daily videos that were live streaming. Brenda liked the idea because it would force her to let go of her perfectionist tendency. So she announced that she was doing daily Facebook Live videos on her fan page.
At first, no one paid attention to Brenda and that made it easier for her to keep going. As time went on, her reach grew and she started to build a supportive community around her videos.
Bring a Friend
You can go a step further than Diane and bring a friend along with you on your next adventure. Katie wanted to attend dance classes. But she was older and she worried she’d look out of place. Katie’s friend volunteered to go with her so she didn’t have to face a classroom full of strangers on her own.
They both discovered they enjoyed dancing so they signed up for several more classes. It all started because they were willing to be confident and fulfilled in life together.
If you’re struggling to become confident and fulfilled in life, don’t keep it inside. Find an accountability partner or a supportive friend and do it scared. Then watch as your life is transformed by new more confident and empowered life choices.