Afraid to take 3 steps forward?
Just last weekend after leading another Fearless Living 2 Day Workshop, I was reminded of the obstacles that get in the way of living fearlessly. The majority of the participants come into the weekend with little to no clarity to what has them feeling passionate.
Step 1: What’s my passion and purpose? In order to live a life fully expressed, it requires that you know what has you feeling passionate and purposeful, because ultimately this is what has us living the life of our dreams. Without this clarity, you might feel like you are wandering aimlessly through your life, never really knowing what it is that has you feeling unsatisfied, frustrated or stuck.
Once you are able to identify what makes you tick, what lights up your internal fire and has you feeling passionate, then you get to take the next step!
Step 2: What’s stopping me? What thought or belief is it that is preventing you from living your passion and purpose? Without understanding what’s going on in your internal world, how will you even be your best? And I can guarantee you that what is stopping you from living your vision is nothing outside of you. It’s an inside job. Those self limiting beliefs about yourself, whether conscious or unconscious, are obscuring your vision. Those beliefs are telling you “I can’t do it, I’m not capable, I will fail,” and on and on and on.
So identify those fearful stories you tell yourself are critical in creating the change you desire. However, most often what you do instead, is push those fears away by distracting yourself with an external influence such as: shopping, drug, alcohol, food, sex, technology, etc. And what you resist (fear) will persist, keeping you stuck in the rut of unfulfillment.
Once you’ve identified your fear, you then have power over it! Fear is just an energy that, with a new perspective, you can change into courage! How?
Step 3: Do it anyway! Ok, so now you know what you are afraid of. AND, you also now know that you have 1 of 2 choices. Allow your fear to continue to drive your behavior towards staying stuck OR do whatever it takes, even when you are afraid.
You get to choose! And nothing will change until you decide and commit to do it anyway!
Here’s an exercise that works:
Find some time to be quiet, alone and contemplative. Close your eyes and allow yourself to remember the last time you felt passionate and purposeful. Really allow yourself to feel those feelings as if you were reliving that time in your life.
As you become present to those feelings, ask yourself: “If I were to create the life of my dreams and be fearless, what would my life look like?”
Then, ask yourself “What fear is preventing me from living my vision?” Feel that fear, notice where you feel it in your body. Then notice how long you have felt that fear and how long it has held you back.
Last, ask yourself “What will I do today to DO IT ANYWAY? What action can I take, even if I’m afraid, to move me powerfully towards feeling passionate and purposeful?”
You have everything you need to shift fear into courage. Tell yourself daily “I am capable,” and watch miracles happen.