The Top 10 Really Good News Items About Fear

Originally Submitted on 12/1/99.

Many of us who aim down the road of growth find that it is not the lack of skill or knowlege, nor the lack of focus or desire that keeps us from achieving our personal and professional goals. Rather, it is the presence of FEAR that often holds us back. The following Good News About Fear is a collection of nuggets gottenfrom my own experiences AND from the wealth of published material available.

1. Fear is a natural learned response that comes from Love of Our Self and is designed to protect us from pain.

Have you ever seen a baby having a self esteem issue or inner battle? Out of reaction to our first experiences of PAIN we develop fear to protect us from feeling that PAIN again. Fear kicks into gear whenever it recognizes a situation that is similar to what might have caused us pain in the past. And, it alerts us when we are not sure of a future outcome to a new situation.

2. Because fear comes from Love of Our Self we know that it doesn't mean that we are self-hating, wrong, or have low self esteem. It is US protecting ourself.

3. Successful people feel fear too!

They act confident in spite of their fears. Often their fear is greater because the more people they reach, the more they risk. They make their PURPOSE and their VISION greater than their fear.

4. The presence of fear means "Get ready! Growth and dreams are comming forward."

Fear does not mean "Stand Still! Danger ahead! Don't go forward until you know exactly what will happen."

5. Fear pulls us out of the moment to a future percieved bad outcome.

When you come back to the moment, you are able to access the resources of success you already have inside.

6. Pain melts fear. Love is the oppposite of fear.

Many times fear can present itself in form of distractions or procrastination. This resistance is us taking care of our self so we don't feel the discomfort of fear. The next time you become distracted, take an exta few moments and allow the discomfort to rise to about a level of 7 out of 10. Then ask yourself, "If I were a child right now, what would this feeling be about?" This will access the pain that could be at the root of your resistance.

7. Develop a tool box of questions to ask yourself that will empower you in a fear situation.

Your mind is designed to think and answer questions. Why not ask the questions that will give you answers to pull you forward?

8. Many times fear is a patterned reaction that is easily changed with the following formula:

a. Recognize that you are in a reaction pattern. Notice it and make it O.K.
b. Interrupt your pattern by changing your phrasing (asking better questions, focusing on your outcome) and your body position (take in a breath of nature's vallium...air, stretch, walk, etc. )
c. Replace fear with the behavior your want. Develop and use your resources of Faith. Faith in yourself and in the process.
d. Repeat as needed until your response becomes natural for you.

9. Design your own private ceremony for letting go of your fears.

Write them down and then burn them up, drop them from a very high place, flush them down... be creative. Be sure to know how you would rather BE and ask for strength, help and guidence to BEcome that.

10. Common quotes about fear:

* Regret for things done can be tempered with time. It is regret for things we did not do that is inconsolable. - Sidney J. Harris

* God loves me and want me to be happy. - Barbara De Angelis

* A coward dies 1000 deaths. A courageous one only once.

* Trust and go and then you know.

* Courage is what you find on the other side of fear. - A movie quote

* Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take you eyes off your goal. - Henry Ford

* The quality of our life is the quality of our communication. First with ourself, and then with others. - T. Robbins

* Feel the fear and do it anyway.

* Co urage is resistance to fear, Mastery of fear. Not the absence of fear. - M. Twain

---

About the Submitter

This content may be forwarded in full, with copyright, contact, and creation information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit context. For other uses, permission in writing from CoachVille is required. Questions: email topten@coachville.com

Please use your browser controls to close this page & return to the selection page, or click to return to Top 10 home page.