Is fear holding you back?

Is fear holding you back?

Fear isn’t always an inherently bad thing. After all, fear is and has been a normal and healthy response to threatening situations since the dawn of time. It triggers our fight-or-flight instincts and keeps us safe from potential dangers.

When fear consistently holds you back from living your life to the fullest, it becomes a problem.

The words brave and courage are often used interchangeably, but by definition, they’re not the same. Bravery comes with a lack of fear. In contrast, being courageous doesn’t mean you’re not afraid. It means doing something even though it scares you.

Learning how to be courageous in the face of fear takes practice and persistence. Think of it as learning a new skill. Once you’ve mastered it, it can be extremely liberating. 

Today, we don’t feel true fear as often as our cave-dwelling ancestors did. Yet, there are situations when it can manifest as a gut feeling or a sudden instinct.

Imagine you’re walking down the street at night. Your senses pick up subtle signals you may be unsafe and fear sets in. In these instances, listening to your body’s intuition can save your life

Carl Jung put it, “Find out what a person fears most, and that is where he will develop next.”

The fear of what might happen or making the wrong decision can cause nothing to happen in your life. Instead of moving forward, you retreat to a safe and warm comfort zone and avoid making any major life decisions

Is fear holding you back from making life-changing decisions?

Do you want to meet the best version of yourself? Start by learning how to be brave

Taking steps to live courageously and get out of your comfort zone is the quickest path to reaching your full potential.

The problem is, many of us let our fears get in the way. We don’t go for a job because we’re afraid we’re not qualified enough. Or we don’t make a positive change in our life because we’re afraid of the unknown.

Sound familiar? That’s because we all experience fear. It’s a natural human emotion. But always living in fear of the “what-if” can hold us back in our professional and personal lives.

Fear manifests as anxiety Anxiety is a consistent response you have to things that may not pose an actual threat to you. And they’re not even immediate threats, but things you anticipate that may not happen.

Worrying about being negatively judged and ridiculed by others in social settings

Not trying something new because you fear failure and rejection

Fearing change and uncertainty

Not going after what you want because you fear you’re inadequate

This kind of fear keeps you stuck in your comfort zone and robs you of opportunities and experiences that can enhance your life.

https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-be-brave