Let’s talk about this four letter word called FEAR! (F)ACE (E)VERYTHING (A)ND (R)ISE What is FEAR? An unpleasant, distressing emotion, feeling or condition of being afraid of something or things that causes feelings of dread or apprehension. The condition of being afraid of something or being worried about an outcome. Now I know each and every one of us has felt afraid during some point in our lives and it’s a normal reaction as it is an emotion we all feel. Whether its: •FEAR of commitment •FEAR of falling in love •FEAR of marriage •FEAR of failure •FEAR of moving on •FEAR of your past •FEAR of being hurt •FEAR of losing someone •FEAR of taking chances •FEAR of change •FEAR of starting over •FEAR of having children •FEAR of flying •FEAR of heights •FEAR of public speaking. Let me let you in on a little secret! I had fear of starting my own podcast. And then I thought about the reasons why I decided to launch a podcast in the first place. It was to inspire and motivate others so I just started recording and here I am today! I had to start from somewhere right! Fear causes anxiety and anxiety causes stress and stress causes us to worry. We all have, face and deal with different types of fear at various stages in our lives. But is fear really a bad thing? Fear is not necessarily a bad thing! What is the message being communicated by fear? It is one of the in-built human survival instincts. Too much fear that paralyses action is the bad thing. Have you ever done something you were fearful of doing then looking back you wonder why I was afraid? Many people face different fears every day including myself. My biggest fear is the fear of failure and as a result I push myself hard and set higher targets for myself so that the effort exerted and progress becomes worth it. Being fearful is a scary feeling, it makes one imagine all sorts of outcomes and scenarios. Sometimes the fear can be so intense to the point of inaction. Let me let you in on a few ways to fight your fears:

1. Take time out! It's impossible to think clearly when you're flooded with fear or anxiety. The first thing to do is take time out so you can physically calm down. Distract yourself from the worry for 15 minutes by either taking a walk or reading a positive book or a motivational video. 2. Face your fears because Avoiding your fears only makes them scarier. Whatever your fear, if you face it, it should start to fade. 3. Look at the evidence. It sometimes helps to challenge fearful thoughts. For example, if you're scared of flying, ask yourself if you have ever heard of this happening to someone else. Ask yourself what you would say to a friend who has had a similar fear. 4. Don't try to be perfect! Life is full of stress, yet many of us feel that our lives must be perfect. Bad days and setbacks will always happen, and it's important to remember that life is messy. 5. Visualize a happy place. Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a place of safety and calm. It could be a picture of you walking on a beautiful beach, or a happy memory from childhood. Let the positive feelings soothe you until you feel more relaxed. 6. Talk about it Sharing fears takes away a lot of their scariness. Talk to a partner, friend or family member. Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives.

Embracing Fear: Acknowledge that it has come to teach you something and allow you to grow. Thank the fear for showing up for you. Fear is used to being shut out and hidden, not embraced. Once you do this, that fear will start to soften, it will lose more power, and you will ultimately disarm it.

Fear makes us resilient: Resilient people accept their fears, and that builds strength to embrace, overcome and harness fear. When you focus on your fearful experiences as sources of personal strength, it can help you learn strategies that can build resilience.