“I am not ruled by fear, but I respect its indoctrination into my life.”(Eversley, 2016)
Fear. It is how we learn to be safe. Fear itself is an emotion which causes anxiety and uncertainty, foreboding and caution. It sometimes introduces pain.Fear is an emotion which I have sought to conquer for over forty plus years. There has been some success, and yet, there are times fear will come to my door. It is a bad feeling, based on a lack of information and lack of control. Fear is dormant, flaring up on occasion.
Fear is different from anxiety, or uncertainty. It is an indicator of something about to happen over which we have no authority. Or maybe the odds are not favorable to us based on the perceived situation.
In ‘business’ fear is both good and bad. A dose of caution can help to put things into perspective, allowing for prudent decision making. On the other-hand, fear can give manifestation to negativity, procrastination and lost opportunities. New entrepreneurs will do well to exercise ‘fear-less’ passion when they embark on their new venture, because they need that excitement energy. As they experience their own practical development, the initial excitement is often tempered with caution. For me,having experienced fearless exuberance and some falls, becoming ‘fear-less’ is now about emotional control and risk management!
Own your risk. Own your decisions. Do not become afraid because of a past decision which may not have gone as expected. Proactively visit the past experiences ticking off ‘what did not work’ and why, understanding the next try, can yield success. Embrace the power of being ‘Fear-Less’.
The body, mind and soul are stronger, when you own your fears and face them. Success is less about wining when facing adversity, and more about standing up to that which you fear. Having the courage to face your fear is itself a fear-less act! Facing fear, frees the mind, thus tactical thinking is possible!
Going in deep
For many years I was afraid of the deep. I love water so much, it was important to face that fear . Swimming in five feet depth in the pool was safe, and that was my zone. Then I met Coach Kyle at the airport one day. He found I had technique, style and comfort, owning the shallow. There have been many coaches, trainers, swimming instructors and their classes which I attended for over twenty-five years periodically. Yet, it was not until that moment when I decided to overcome fear, I went into the deep. It was a mental thing, a mindset and a decision to control fear. To do this, consciously & subconsciously I had been preparing for weeks. Twelve strokes would get me to the point where I could stand on tip-toe. Then it would take six full strokes to touch the wall and I could not stand at that end – just hold onto the wall. I had to swim past the twelfth stroke without stopping. Finally I did it. After that day, coach did not allow me to swim close to the wall, he wanted me to own fear so I could feel it less. Coach Kyle was an Olympic trainer and swimmer for the St Vincent & Grenadines team. Not long after, I was unable to swim, due to an accident at work. It took so many years to do it, I need to get it back. This makes me ‘fear-less’.
On reflection, it is good that I owned that fear at that time. There is now an expectation that I will go deep and rise above, because I can.
Having respect for your reservations and concerns is important, but address them. Then dive in, and go deep. Swim to the end.
Thank you for reading and engaging! Be encouraged going in deep!
DWordslayer
Artwork: Artistree -andrew.innocent@hotmail.com
Lovely write Donna as usual.. I like the topic of fear.. It can also be a great motivator of leading a good life in some contexts. Thanks.. RS
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