What really scares you? Why are we afraid and what’s behind it? FEAR! Fear is such a potent emotion that it can literally make us stick our head into the sand and stop us dead in our tracks. And yet, once we overcome a fear we feel wonderful and as if we conquered the entire world.
I am a Toastmaster and have given a number of 5-7 minute speeches. Presently, I am working on live presentations about how to find and work with a Virtual Assistant. I have been given much more time to present than at any Toastmaster speech I have given so far; I have been alternating between being scared, thinking “I can do it” to “It’ll all work out” and back. There is fear and excitement mingled together.
I thought about Susan Jeffers’ Book “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway“. In it she writes about fear truths. I have now hung these in my office:
- The fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow;
- the only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is t go out and do it;
- the only way to feel better about myself is to go out …. and do it;
- Not only am I going to experience fear whenever I’m on unfamiliar territory, so is everyone else;
- Pushing though fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.
I am feeling calm now and ready to continue practicing my presentations. How are you dealing with your fears? I’d love to hear what recipes you use.