Did you know that when we’re born, we have just 2 instinctive fears?
What are they?
- Fear of loud noises
- Fear of falling
As we grow, we learn to fear many more things and many fears are learned when we’re children, to protect us from dangerous situations and keep us safe throughout our lives. For example, if we didn’t learn to fear fire and we kept sticking our hand in the flames, we’d soon have no hand left.
However, although we need some fears, some of those learned fears may no longer serve a purpose and indeed they hold us back. We become scared of doing things… so we don’t!
While reading some articles recently, I came across this question in an article by Dr Travis Bradbury author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0:
“What would I do if I wasn’t scared?”
It got me thinking about things I’ve not done as a result of being scared and allowing some long-standing learned fears to hold me back from achieving my dreams…
I’ve worked really hard over the last few years to break through some barriers and in recent years, I’ve definitely jumped over some hurdles and made some particularly BIG changes in my life. There have been people, family, friends and bloggers who’ve inspired me to make some life changing decisions, which I’d been too scared to make previously.
After attending Andy Harrington’s Power to Achieve Event with my sister last year, I came away so inspired and felt enabled to break through some BIG blocks and barriers.
Probably the biggest challenge for me was making the decision to jump off the hamster’s wheel and give up a well-paid job as a Senior Manager. I’d worked for over 30 years developing my career and it had definitely felt very scary whenever I’d ever thought of really going for it and becoming self-employed.
The fear of leaving the world of employment and a steady income had definitely held me back for a long time and yet just 2 weeks after attending Andy Harrington’s event, I left my job. I left behind my fear and chose FREEDOM…
I still work hard but now it’s for myself and I love it.
I still have some scary moments though – thoughts and fears that I know are still holding me back from reaching my full potential and are no longer serving the purpose they were originally learned for (I’m not sure what I ever was meant to learn from these…)
- Fear of making a fool of myself
- Fear of not being good enough
- Fear of failure
I’m working on them and as I continue to learn and grow, my self confidence is definitely increasing and it’s a barrier I’m determined to break through so I can truly achieve my dreams and ambitions.
If I wasn’t scared I’d already be:
- Public Speak on bigger stages
- Running BIG Law of Attraction Events and Vision Board Workshops
- A published author having finished the 2 books I’ve started but are now languishing somewhere in my head!
As some of you will know, I’m a great believer in the Law of Attraction and I believe that when the vibration is right, great things can and do happen. We meet people who teach us the lessons we need to learn (sometimes that can be really hard), people who inspire us to change appear in our lives.
I’ve certainly met some amazingly inspirational bloggers who are also breaking through their own fears and following their dreams too and may not be aware of how much they’ve inspired me to keep going myself.
I couldn’t write this post without giving a MASSIVE shout out to Miriam from Outanabout blog who has broken through so many barriers in the last year and is now soaring like an eagle. If you haven’t met Miriam pop across and have a read of her incredibly inspiring posts https://outanabout.com/
Then there’s Brigid, who has actually completed her wonderful book Watching The Daisies and continues to inspire me to finish mine. She’s receiving some fabulous reviews for her book and you can find out more by visiting her blog: https://watchingthedaisies.com/
Fiona (alias Osyth) https://osyth.org/ reminds me constantly that it’s never too late to follow your dreams and I have no doubt that the children of Grenoble who are now being taught by this incredibly inspiring lady, will one day look back and remember how they were inspired by their amazing teacher. Well done Fiona for following your dreams and for inspiring us to continue with ours…
Over the last year, I’ve been challenging myself to meditate more regularly and am regularly inspired by Bella who posts some beautiful meditations which have helped to bring me some beautiful moments of peace and inspiration and are definitely worth popping across to Bella’s blog for: https://thoughtsnlifeblog.com/
So let me ask you the question, who inspires you to break through your blocks and…..
What would you do if you weren’t scared?
I’d truly love to hear from you so please leave me a comment below…
For anyone else who Fears Failure and is therefore scared of trying again, here’s a great motivational video to help you question why you’re holding yourself back…
What are you missing out on because you’re scared?
I’d quit my job and stay home. That’s what I want to do…and if I could get myself to focus with clarity and open myself up to allowing all the abundance that is in my vortex then I could do just that! I would love to go into work and say I Quit! I’m walking in that direction but I want to run, run like the wind and get there already! Wendy there is no such thing as failure, only lessons learned…what to do next time, what not to do next time…how will you know without trying. I don’t know of anyone who got it right the first time or the first many times!!! You know about the lightbulb I’m sure…10,000 tries before success. You’re doing just great…keep going after what delights you and brings you joy my friend!! xo 🙂
Author
Oh how wonderful – thanks Deb and sorry for delayed response.. (working away). I love the idea of all that abundance in your vortex and I’m sure you’ll ‘feel’ the moment when it’s right to let it all flow to you! A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step… one step at a time and you’ll reach your desired destination Deb. You’re absolutely right about those lessons to learn.. sometimes I’ve thought I’ve learned and then I’ve still repeated the same thing but I think over the last couple of years, I’ve finally properly learned some key lessons about myself and why I’ve spent years working ridiculous hours etc. When I walked away from paid employment last year, it was a big step but the greatest step.. I feel SO much better for having taking that decision and it was definitely a case of “as one door closes another door opens”… I think sometimes we have to create the space for the new things to arrive. Yep – one step at a time and I’m definitely still continuing my learning lessons journey! Your dreams will arrive when you give them some space to enter… Much love and big hugs Deb.. xxx
Thanks for that Wendy…I needed it! I totally understand how you felt so much better walking away….I know I will too. I’m crossing off the days on my calendar at work as an indication that I’m one day closer to my desires.
Time for me to go make some space…lots of space!! Lots of love & hugs to you Wendy! xo <3
This one is so true. I must pass the fear of falling. I should imagine where I could be without fear.
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Thanks Liz and yes – our fears often hold us back completely unnecessarily! Good luck with overcoming yours xx
Oh so Kind of you Wendy.
Yet another fab post to help us make life happen.
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You’re welcome Bella – what would we do without each other to keep ourselves boosted up! xx
So true.
This is so true
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Thanks so much – do you have any fears holding you back?
Bless you Wendy. I really appreciate the shout out. I am in great company!
I know for myself that fear of success rather than fear of failure stopped me from stepping out of my comfort zone. I have spent plenty of time hiding…
Author
Oh gosh Brigid.. I wonder if that’s one of my root causes too.. Fear of Success – it’s definitely out of my comfort zone! Thanks so much – I’ll give that some thought.. x
Oh Wendy, I’m so touched by your kind words and mention here. Truly I think we all inspire each other on this platform. There are so many amazing bloggers out there reaching for their dreams and you, my dear friend, have always been, at least to me, one of the most inspiring. I still have my fears, huge ones in fact, and at the moment I’m in the midst of another huge jump into the unknown. But, unlike in the past, I’m putting faith in my wings. Thank you for a wonderful post. xo
Author
That’s so true Miriam – we do don’t we! What great company we keep… What a beautiful comment – thank you so much – I’m thrilled! Yep those blasted fears will keep coming back but thank goodness we’ve got enough strength in our wings to keep taking off for that leap into the unknown! Well done Miri – keep flying high! xx
Aw bless you Wendy, you help to keep me flying. xo
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and you’re giving somewhere to aim for Miri.. yep onward and upward. Haha – I’m just thinking – you may need to slow down so I can catch up!! xx
Haha, don’t worry, I’m not going that fast. In many ways you’re right by my side. xx
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I’m having a rocket booster fitted to help me keep up! xxx
Woo-hoo, love it!!! xo
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Yee Haa!! xx
Go parachuting! Confront my fear of heights with the greatest height of all… and also touch the clouds. One day I will ☺
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I have absolutely no doubt you will! I can’t wait to see the photo’s – reach for the stars and you’ll pass the clouds en route… xx
Thank you (^__^) If I ever do, I’ll be sure to blog about it.
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Now then Fed – I’ve got to have ‘words’ … the ‘if’ has to go and be replaced with ‘when’…. Fly high my friend and then feel the fear and do it anyway (as in the words of the author Susan Jeffers…) xx
Lol! Wise words 😀
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Yee Haa!! Can’t wait for that photo!
I must thank you for your kind words and link to my site which I honestly don’t think I deserve. It is true that it is never to late and it is true that it is fear that holds us back. As we get older I think those fears can grow exponentially but we can overcome them. We can if we will. My father was fond of saying ‘there’s no such word as can’t’ and when I balk at a challenge I sit and close my eyes and see his face, hear his voice and it inspires me to give whatever it a go. That is not to say that I don’t fear …. I am very fearful of a situation at the moment (I will write to you privately) but I know I have to walk through the fire and that when I do it won’t hurt. Somehow it never does in the way one imagines. Keep doing what you do, Wendy – YOU are the inspiring one xx
Author
Oh you absolutely DO deserve the shout out in my eyes and I know many other people’s too!!! You will do your fire walk Fiona and you’re right – when you get to the other side of the flames, you’ll feel a sense of power stronger than ever before. My dad used to say that too Fiona – “Anything one man can do I can do also” was a favourite alongside the ‘no such word as can’t”… Great minds and thumbs up to them! xx Much love xxx
Your Dad and mine would have gotten along famously, Wendy! xx
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I’m certain they would too Fiona! xx
.. It’s always what we need to remember and focus on… luckily we have reminders like this … 😉
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Thank you and you’re right – thank goodness for my blogging buddies who remind me too when I forget! xx
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