16 Jan Getting through the Roadblock of Fear

This blog post was written by Recovery Help Now’s, Vanessa Blaxland, MFTi.

As we come into the New Year I am sure you have a vision of what you would like out of 2012.  Maybe it is expanding your business, improving your health, or strengthening your relationships.  Having a clear, detailed vision and plan are the first steps to achieving your goals.  However your journey to success will most certainly come with its road bumps, blocks, and detours.  Lets talk about one.  A big one and how you can overcome it so that you will have the power to push through.  The roadblock I’m talking about….FEAR.

Fear is #1 killers of our dreams.  It holds us back, keeps us from even trying, and tells us we can’t do it.   It’s completely normal to resist change and fear it even though you might be unhappy with your situation; because lets face it there is security there.  We know what to expect even if we don’t like it.  But what if fear is the only thing standing in our way to being happier, healthier, and more successful? So here are a few steps to help knock fear down when it gets in our way.

1. Break down the fear:  Go back to your plan and look at the steps you’ve created.  Focus on step 1.  Breaking down your plan into manageable steps and proceeding at a pace that is comfortable for you will help you manage your fear and anxiety about the changes you want to make.   Then as you complete a step, the success you experience will give your confidence to continue to the next!

2. Remind yourself:  Remind yourself in the first place why you’ve decided to make this change or set this goal.  Make a list of the benefits that initially motivated you.  Then make a list of the negatives if you continued to stay where you are.  Is it worth it?  Maybe even keep a physical reminder (ex. List of benefits, a picture, etc.)  that you can pull out to remind yourself of those benefits when those fearful thoughts start to creep up.

3. Take a second look:  Many times our fear is of failure and rejection when setting out for something new and this can keep us from even trying.  So change your view of failure and rejection.  Instead of seeing it as something devastating and dream crushing, see it as an opportunity to learn and improve on your goals.  Be flexible, allow yourself to see your vision as a work in progress and you are experimenting with what works and doesn’t work for you.