One of the biggest challenges I face on a daily basis is how to handle fear. There are all kinds of fear out there and as I’ve progressed on my journey of not only an entrepreneur but also that of a human being, I’ve realized that as you grow you begin to overcome your fears. That being said, as long as you keep growing and thus getting out of your comfort zone, then additional fears (even if irrational) appear, especially as entrepreneurs, don’t you find that expansion and growth feel scary? When people ask me how to eliminate fear and how I’m so fearless, I always give the same answer which is I’m scared s&#%less half the time myself and if we aren’t afraid most of the time, we aren’t growing. I consider myself a spiritual person and when I read spiritual texts I read how if you’re living a spiritual life and are a believer in a supreme being then you should have no fear. However, I find the opposite true, if you are living a “spiritual” life, you are probably going to come up against more fears than someone who is just coasting. I often hear that if you have “faith” then you should find happiness all the time, never feel scared and can turn off negative emotions like a light bulb. This is not what having a human experience is all about, in fact if you are stepping out on any worthwhile endeavor in life then you are inviting fear to come because you are stepping outside our comfort zone!
That is in fact where the real courage comes from, when you feel fear and keep going! To not cutting yourself off from your feelings and realizing there is nothing wrong with feeling a down emotion, this is what being a human being is all about, life is a wild exciting roller coaster ride! So instead of trying to always “be positive” accept that life is a series of ups and downs that can’t always be controlled and give what happens an empowering meaning. When we do this we begin to see that it is by facing our fears that we grow. Growth, by definition, means we are constantly expanding beyond our comfort zone. And when we expand beyond our comfort zone the natural experience is FEAR!
This realization was a huge breakthrough for me, the knowledge of this made the physical symptoms that I would experience when I had fear over something happening in business subside. By reminding myself that years ago when I wasn’t living my life’s purpose and being connected to my calling that I prayed that I would have challenges and fears that I now experience as an entrepreneur it helps me cope when the physical manifestation of fear surface. Whenever you’re out of your comfort zone it’s scary for a while but then it slowly turns comfortable and then the cycle begins all over again when you step back out again. By being aware of this pattern and realizing the more you feel this way the more you are truly living and growing, then ultimately you will be rid of fear once and for all.