There probably is some disagreement on what fears are actually "innate," or existing instinctively from the time of birth, but a common list consists of the following :
- Death
- Embarrassment
- Loss of love
- Rejection
Overcoming fear doesn’t happen instantly or automatically. It is the result of deliberate intention, and conscious action towards doing things that scares you. As a result of overcoming your fears, you grow as a person, and expand the possibilities that surround your life.
Do you recall the last time you wanted to do something so intensely but fear got in your way? We all have those moments when we are enthralled with an idea only to have fear prevent us from moving forward. What can we do to overcome fear from paralyzing us from moving forward with our dreams and desires?
The interesting thing about the human condition is that the minute we experience pain, we never want to experience it again. So as a result, we do things that we feel will ensure that we do not get hurt. In fact, we will go to further extend to avoid pain than we are to gain pleasure.For example; you fall in love and you give every ounce of your being to the object of your affection. Things are going well for a while but then something happens and the relationship ends. You feel crushed and you swear to yourself that you will never again allow yourself to be so vulnerable. As a result, anytime you meet someone new, you remember that painful experience and you bring it into the new relationship.
Fear of risk also appears when it comes to the topic of making a living. For some reason there is a belief in the collective conscious that in order to make money, you will mostly likely work at a job that you do not love.
When I was a child, one of my mother’s friends told me to enjoy being a kid because when I became an adult, I would have to get a job in order to pay bills so that I could be responsible. She made it sound as if being an adult was an existence made up of misery and not joy.Yes, we do have to be responsible for our lives and we do have to pay bills but where does it say that we have to be miserable?
Here is what I learned and use whenever confronted with a choice between playing it safe or leaping off the cliff into the unknown:
Develop Accurate Perception :
Most of our experiences in life are determined by our perception. Our perception of a situation determines our thoughts and that in turn creates how we feel about a situation. Thoughts and feelings work hand in hand. Each one influences the other.
Believe in Yourself :
The interesting thing about overcoming a fear is that you need to believe that you can do it. Doubt is like cancer. It feeds on all the positive, happy thoughts and feelings you may have. Nothing kills a dream more quickly than doubt.
Surrender the Outcome :
What usually prevents people from taking a risk is the fact that the outcome is not guaranteed. None of us are able to predict exactly what the future will bring. Therein lies the beauty of life.If there is anything I have learned in my years in search of enlightenment it is this: you will always be okay and you will always land on your feet. You will also have what you need at any given moment. You may not always get what you want but that can be a blessing. For what you want is not always good for you.
ShakespearE said that “life is a stage and we each must play a part.”
--We have the choice whether we want to play our role small or if we want to aim for an Oscar worthy performance. The choice is ours. We get out of life as much as we put into it.
