Overcoming Fear

Let’s talk about fear, shall we? This past year I’ve allowed fear and self-doubt to fill my mind leaving no space for me to dream. I had a friend once tell me that two things can’t occupy the same space at the same time and that is so true!  I’ve been consumed by so much negative self-thoughts that I was leaving no space to work on the things that really matter.  Fear is real and anytime I felt being called to do something big, I would find any excuse to not move forward. This just left me feeling paralyzed and exhausted. If you are currently feeling this way, just know you are not alone.  Every day when we wake up we have the decision to either face our fears or allow it to swallow us whole. If you are letting fear occupy your life then this is for you.

As entrepreneurs, fear is something we experience daily. It’s those negative thoughts that say “I am not good enough” or “There is no way I can do this.” Fear is something we naturally go to. We let it take over and continue to use it as a scapegoat as we try to move forward. Take a second to think about your own dreams.  Do you want to start your own business? Launch a new course? Go on your first solo trip? The moment I shifted my mindset and realized that my fear is nothing but lies my life started to change.

When I first launched my business over two years ago, I was ready to take on the world. Shortly within the first couple of months, I began feeling like I wasn’t good enough, I was a fraud and there was no way people wouldn’t take me seriously as a social media educator. So what did I do? I retreated. I stopped going to networking events and connecting with other entrepreneurs. I stopped doing the things I loved such as blogging and creating fun content. I was fueled by a false identity that I wasn’t good enough and due to that everything in my life stalled. The truth is if you don’t believe in yourself nobody else will. Once I realized that I started to face my fears to live out my passions and dreams. If your fear is holding you back I’m here to tell you that your fear is a liar. There is a reason why God has planted your dreams in you. You are meant to do great things and fear has no more room in your life.

So how do we overcome our fear? We need to acknowledge it. Whenever I feel self-doubt and fear creeping in, I write down what I am actually afraid of. That could be criticism, loss, or failure. Once I am honest with how I am actually feeling I can create an action plan that answers these questions: What will I learn? How will it help me grow? And why am I grateful for the situation? Whatever is holding you back I know you can most past it. This is something that won’t change overnight. I am still working through this myself. When I think of my own journey I know there will be plenty of successes and failures but I will continue to put one foot in front of the other unshaken. I want to encourage you to do the same.

Today is the day that you look fear in the face and know it’s a liar. You are well equipped to live out your dreams and passions. Take the leap! Don’t let fear, perfection, and negative self-talk prevent you from taking your life back and focusing on the things that do matter. We are all in this together!