Don't Let Fear Stop You from Fulfilling You

(an excerpt from RC2 Don't Get Stuck in Fear in Ladies Let's Get Real About You, Life and Love)

As young children, we are fearless. We'll pretty much talk to anyone and try anything because we are not yet familiar with fear. This fearlessness can continue into our teenage life and even into our early twenties. I was fearless in the first 30 years of my life. I was prepared to go after whatever I wanted, and when I set my mind to it, I usually got it. But as you get older, caution steps in. Life's experiences and warnings from others cause you to hesitate and think twice about taking a chance with a business, a sport, a relationship, or something you would like to do. What is holding you back is fear. Fear that it won't work out; fear of hurting yourself; fear of a broken heart; fear that people will judge/criticise you.

“Living in fear is not living at all."

In the grand scheme of things, fear is a good thing. It warns you, it checks you, it makes you aware, but many of us get carried away with fear. We go beyond thinking twice about something to thinking the absolute worse about it. For instance, your research indicates that your business idea has a good chance of succeeding, but then you think, "Suppose it fails?" "Suppose people aren't interested in what I have to sell?" "Suppose people criticize me?" When you reach this stage, you are allowing fear to have the upper hand.

Fear is an emotion, so look at this emotion of yours, and try to determine where it is coming from. Why is it there? Once you have done that, think of the best way to overcome it. Talk to someone you believe might be able to help you overcome it, or say "F*** it," and walk right through the fear with no worry about what others think or say. Don't allow fear to immobolise you from from doing something good or uplifting for yourself or others. Don't let your fear stop you from fulfilling YOU, because living in fear is not living at all.