5 ways to face your fears and live boldly

What does it mean to face your fears?

What does it mean to live boldly?

How do these go hand in hand?

Do they EVEN go hand in hand?

I say yes, and here is why…

Fear can be debilitating. It can be scary, and lonely, and oh so overwhelming. Where does this come from? Why is it such a strong force sometimes?

I believe most fear is born out of dread of failure.

When do you feel most afraid about life? Is it when things are going well, or when you think things might not work out?

Failure is a part of life. It is a part of the growth. It is a part of your story. There is no way to avoid it, so stop trying to. Instead, face it. Realise that there are no dead ends, there are only opportunities, and times when we need to pivot.

You have dreams. You have hope. You have a vision. You also have the ability to work towards all of this. Let all of this be stronger than your fear. On the other side of fear lies a fulfilling life.

Living boldly means chasing your dreams. It means knowing that you might fail, but you may also soar. Chase that. Live, with the intention to rise.

FIVE PRACTICAL WAYS

TO FACE YOUR FEAR

1 WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU ARE AFRAID OF

Putting our fears on paper sometimes can separate us from the fear. You are not your fears. Having them on paper in front of you can help you realise that they aren’t as big and scary as they seem.

2 LEAN ON YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM

We are not alone in this world. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for support, to ask for help, to ask for comfort. Having a strong support system is so important.

3 LOOK FOR INSPIRATION

This idea, that failure is necessary on the road to success, is not made up. Look at the people around you. Look at the people you admire. Read books. Watch videos. Realise that almost everyone who has achieved something, has done it despite being afraid.

4 WEIGH THE PROS

AND CONS

Weigh the pros and cons of facing your fear. Not everything has to but, if you are chasing a life lived boldly, decide what your priorities are. You can be happy living a very simple and comfortable life within your comfort zone. A lot of people do it, they do it well. If that is you, make sure you do it with pride. If that is not the life for you, you probably already realise it. Now, accept it.

5 REMEMBER YOUR VALUES

What is important to you in this world? What will you regret not doing? Why do you want to do the things that you want to do?

These are all really important questions, spend some time with them.

You have come this far. There had to have been times when you were afraid. If you could make it here, what is stopping you from going further? Remember what it is you want and why. Then choose to live your life with all of this in mind.

I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking about how easy it would be to walk away from my dreams, some might even say smarter. Here’s what I’ve realised though, I am not sure I have that ability to walk away from my dreams. Maybe that makes me lucky. If I can’t walk away, maybe it is finally time to give it my all!

Join me. I’m not going to say live fearlessly, but I am going to say live despite your fears! Face your fears and live boldly!

By Vanessa Seymour

[The writer is a Muscat-based student, certified yoga instructor, empowerment coach and host of the podcast ‘LIVE INSPIRED’. email@vanessaseymour.com]