“Feel the Fear . .  and Do It Anyway” lists 5 Truths about Fear.

The first one is that “The fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow.”
            
I find that comforting.  Fear can certainly make me uncomfortable.  Perhaps, in some ways, that’s a good safety mechanism. But once I notice I’m in fear, I don’t  need the fight or flee response. I can relax a little, knowing that fear and I are going to be spending more time together as I venture out. The second truth is that “The only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is to go out and do it.”

Fear, as they say, is part of the territory.  The landscape over which you must travel to  do something new.  Get a new job, set a new direction, start a new business, a new life, or just open a new area of your life.

Susan Jeffers, the author of “Feel the Fear” also talks about the “Grid of Life.” She does a grid of 9 boxes.  Three up and three across.  You fill in things like relationship, job/career, family, friends, community, spirit, health, etc.  It’s to show you that there’s more to life than just your Relationship. Or your Job. So, as you go about developing or expanding areas of your life, you needn’t be surprised when you encounter fear.

Since there’s no use in pretending  fear won’t be there, you can prepare yourself for it. Making arrangements to keep the fear levels to a minimum. Knowing this truth, fear doesn’t have to be a shadowy figure in the darkness.  “I know you’re there, Fear.  Come on into the light.  I don’t have to be so afraid of you anymore.  We have met before.”