The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but it is fear. ~Gandhi
Fear is a normal reaction to many situations, particularly the situations that put us in danger. By activating our fight or flight response, fear protects us and gets us “ready” for action. When fear becomes present in daily situations, it takes over our minds, paralyzes our ability to take action, and impacts our lives in negative ways. And just because fear is “imagined” does not mean that it impacts us less, in fact stress and anxiety occur from all types of fear – “real” and “imagined”.
Recognize and Understand Your Fear – Finding the source of our fear, recognizing and understanding it, can actually lessen the hold that fear has on us. Identification of the origin of the fear also allows us to analyze the fear. Was it because of something that occurred to you as a child? Is it likely to happen again? What other thoughts reinforce the fear? By acknowledging our fears, we can gain the courage to reject them.
Relax! Fear has very real physical consequences that include stress, anxiety, heart racing, and breathing difficulty. It can be exhausting. Dr. Carmen Harra says:
Fear can be the accumulation of too much stress or extended pressure. A hectic life with too many responsibilities results in fear of failure. It’s essential that you take time out for yourself to relax and meditate and alleviate your anxieties. So calm down, take a breather and remind yourself that you will be shown how to resolve all things.
Small steps lead to big change – We must begin at the beginning to overcome fear. Small, consistent actions that lead to conquering fear are the way to ease into change. Avoidance can actually increase our fears, so taking seemingly small, positive actions gets us closer to our goals of overcoming our fears without feeling overwhelmed. We feel success at each step, which encourages us to continue.
Think Positive – Replacing our negative and fear-based thoughts with positive ones through mindful daily focus is another stepping stone to overcoming fears. We talked before about re-training our brains and positive thinking, mantras, and affirmations are all ways to achieve new programming. Some people choose post-it notes, some choose reading or meditating each day. However you refocus your thoughts, realize that it is a cumulative process and you are training your brain to focus on what you are repeating.
During our empowerment seminars, we encourage and guide participants through the process of overcoming fear to complete the challenges presented during board breaking, arrow breaking, fire walking and other exercises. During the challenges, we promote using positive thinking and positive action in direct opposition to their fear to reprogram the brain to say, “YES, I CAN!”
Contact Fire Power Seminars today to discuss ways that we can help your team overcome fears and achieve success!
Karen PfefferKaren is passionate about sharing powerful programs on communication, empowerment, team building and transformation. With a father from Kansas and a mother from Puerto Rico, Karen has a unique cultural mix that has inspired her to challenge stereotypes and “push the envelope” at every opportunity. She co-founded Fire Power Seminars with Connie Phelan in 2006 to empower individuals, organizations, and companies to achieve more than they ever thought possible.