It’s terrifying and is something we avoid experiencing at all costs. It can sneak up on us in the most unexpected ways, often paralyzing us mid-step. And yet, it’s a perfectly normal and natural occurrence we all have.
Fear. It’s part of the human experience. Some of us experience it more frequently than others and, the more we push ourselves to experience new things and to expand, the more likely we are to experience fear frequently.
Fear is both an instinct and an emotion. The chemical response, the adrenaline, is instinctual to everyone, while the emotion of fear is unique to each person. Different things will trigger fear in different people.
Let’s take a deeper look at fear and when we should pay attention to it and when we should keep going in spite of it.
Instinctual fear vs. Emotional fear
Fear pops up for two reasons and it’s your job to learn to differentiate between the two. There’s instinctual fear that protects you from being eaten by tigers and not killed by passing cars. This fear saves lives.
And then there’s fear that appears when we are afraid because we are stepping beyond our comfort zone – creating Fresh Tracks. In this instance your body physically responds as if you are about to be eaten by a tiger, adrenaline courses through your body, your heart beats rapidly. Your instinct is to save yourself from danger, except it’s not from a tiger, it’s from yourself!
You are afraid because you are pushing past the edge of what you know to be safe. Examples of this may be asking for a promotion, raising your rates, or speaking in public.
In both instances your body is responding in the same way, however you don’t need to react the same way. So how do you discern the difference between the two?
- Be aware. Start by learning how you react when you are afraid. Get to know yourself. Do you shut down? Hide out in your house? Get quiet? Drink? Run away? Blame others?
- Practice recognizing the difference between the two types of fear. Having the consciousness to recognize your body is responding to something and your life is not on the line is the beginning.
- Recognize fear as it’s happening. Make a conscious decision to keep going in spite of fear.
In my podcast interview with Dr. Friedemann Schaub, he shares tips for how to recognize your fear and anxiety patterns and how they can impact your ability to cut Fresh Tracks.
The ability to differentiate between the two types of fear is mandatory to learning to trust yourself and to push past the invisible boundaries you keep hitting in your struggles.
Part of the journey to creating Fresh Tracks, trusting yourself, and living a life of purpose is self-awareness. Take the time to learn about you. How is emotional fear thwarting your drive to cut Fresh Tracks?
Discover the Next Steps to Your Fresh Tracks in Kelly’s free video training here now.