Written by: Sandra Daniele, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Why does the elephant keep showing up? Does it feel like every time you go to start something new or take a chance, that darn elephant shows up in the room? Fear not, you got this.
Fear is the elephant. You know it’s there lurking, but you do not address it.
You Find Excuses and Run. (FEAR)
What changes if you face the elephant and stop running?
Fear is not intended to keep you stuck, but it does play a role in keeping you safe. Traditionally considered a negative emotion, fear can also be powerful in pushing you past your pre-defined limits.
Use fear to your advantage as motivation to push you forward. Fear gives you two choices; you have the choice to keep running, or you can do what Susan Jeffers says, “feel the fear and do it anyway.” You can change the circumstance of your experiences just by making different choices.
Take the first step forward by addressing your fear and your thoughts around it. This helps identify your self-imposed roadblocks. Here is what you need to do, write a letter to fear. Let all your swirling thoughts run wild on the page. Allow yourself the freedom to sort through the emotions holding you back.
Before I launched my coaching business, I wrote my own letter to fear.
Dear Fear,
I’m ready, it’s time to launch. I have been standing on the edge of the high dive board, waiting to find the courage to plunge into the deep waters below. I have been standing here for some time, frozen, scared, literally paralyzed by the unknowns. I want to jump; I want to explore this sensation of taking chances and trusting.
I imagine the ripple of the splash when I hit the water, reaching others – maybe those who have jumped before me or maybe those too scared to climb to the top of the diving board. The jump itself will be quick, the thrill will be immediate and the relief when I hit the water exhilarating.
Just jump, I say to myself. I wish someone would push me. The descent would not be graceful, but there would be no time for fear to take over. The person that pushed me knew and saw my potential for success, they knew the splash in the water would be the start of my next transformation and that my technique in making the splash could always be refined.
Oh, fear, I’ve got the basics, I climbed the ladder, I surveyed the pool, I learned to swim. The work has been done, now let me go. I know there will be moments of holding my breath, gasping for air, and working hard to resurface after plunging in the water. I am ready to jump, fly, swim and survive. Let’s do this. Coaching here I come. SPLASH!
Your turn to take the first step. What do you need fear to know? What’s possible when you let your emotions and thoughts flow without judgment or attachment to the outcome?
Fear can be used to propel your dreams forward. It can be the starting gate for change, creativity and living a life you know is meant for you. Take a chance on yourself, and once you take the first step, be sure to thank fear for pushing you into the realm of unlimited possibilities.
Looking for more ways to move yourself into action and past fear, schedule a complimentary Curiosity Call. Working with a coach can be the push you need to make your own splash and chase away the elephant. Go ahead, feel the fear, and take the first step. You got this!
Sandra Daniele, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sandra Daniele is a certified life coach who has helped numerous women break through limiting beliefs that were holding them back from relationships, jobs and the life they desired to live. Sandra is passionate about joining women on their journey to self-love and acceptance while guiding them to confidently show up as who they are, not who they think they need to be. She has discovered the secrets to identifying what is most important in life and how to live authentically. She gladly shares these secrets with her clients. In her free time, Sandra enjoys beach yoga, reading and time with family and friends.
