* More empowering words o’ wisdom for you today from gorgeous guest poster Jen of Wild Sister fame.
“Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is freedom.” ~ Mary Ferguson
Sometimes I feel like I’ve spent my entire life facing fears. It’s easy to feel that way when you’re recovering from anxiety.
Wow, I’ve never used the word ‘recovery’ referring to myself before. But it’s true.
I’ve come a helluva long way over the past few years, and it’s taken a ton of leaps, many heart-racing moments and countless slow, deep breaths, but I’m here.
Just a few years ago, I would experience full-blown panic attacks over something as simple as stepping outside of my front door.
I was terrified of doing anything on my own, and social situations would make me feel physically ill.
I felt so far a way from my dreams, it was heartbreaking.
Fast forward to now…
My husband and I are living overseas for the second time.
Last year, I flew across the country to attend a retreat with women I had never met before – all on my own.
I have achieved many of my biggest dreams, like running my own business, marrying my soulmate, travelling, and moving to Bali, just to name a few.
Now I’m on track to achieve brand new dreams, like becoming a philanthropist, see Europe and eventually start a family.
While I’ve accomplished a lot and completely changed my life in a seemingly short time, it took a lot of work. I really had to rebuild myself and my life, and I’m still not completely anxiety-free yet.
But I know I will be, if I just keep going.
There are still huge differences between who I am now and who I used to be. One being this; I don’t let fear stop me anymore.
I can see now that those fearful thoughts and feelings aren’t real, that I’m always safe, and that fear only has power if I give it power.
So, when it comes to making my dreams come true, I’m now a force to be reckoned with. I’m freaking unstoppable, baby! As someone who has had to face her biggest fears every single day, I’ve become an expert at it.
Here’s how I’ve learned to overcome fear to achieve my dreams…
Breathe.
“Fear is excitement without the breath.” ~ Fritz Perls
Take a few deep breaths, relax your shoulders, and look around you. Centre yourself in the moment.
Fear only lives in our minds. By being present in the here and now, it cannot survive – because we are always safe.
Let go.
“I have accepted fear as a part of life – specifically the fear of change. I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back.” ~ Erica Jong
You know that feeling you get in your gut when you think about your dream or goal? That pulling sensation that feels as though you’re literally being tugged towards your dream by an invisible rope?
Let it pull you.
Just let go and go with it.
Once you shift your perspective from your fears to your dreams, everything becomes so much clearer. Fear may be strong, but dreams are stronger.
Just keep your focus on your desires and let that fuel you for the next step.
Jump.
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” ~ Dale Carnegie
This is the hardest, but most important, step. Sitting around thinking about what scares you is guaranteed to make it worse.
The sooner you take action and start moving, the quicker you’ll realise you had nothing to be afraid of in the first place.
So just do it. If you want your dream more than you’re afraid of it, put one foot in front of the other – and never ever stop – nothing will be able to stop you from achieving it.
Repeat these steps whenever you start to feel fear creeping up – and you will. The goal here isn’t to eliminate the fear; it’s to move forward no matter how afraid we are.
We all feel fear every now and then, especially when we’re chasing our dreams and changing the world.
What’s important is to walk with the fear, to keep going even though our legs are trembling and our heart is racing.
That’s how barriers are broken, challenges are overcome and lives are changed.
You can do it.
You’re unstoppable.
Ready to take the next step? Leave a comment below and let us know what your next step is. Oh, and if you have one to share, share your best tip for dealing with fear.
Jen Saunders is the creator of Wild Sister Magazine and the Wild Sisterhood. She’s a tie-dye wearing daydream believer, writer and spirit junkie. Jen’s got so much love for women who own their power, smile at themselves and believe that happiness is a choice – so if that’s you, give her a wave at any one of her online homes so you can connect!
