When you’re focused on becoming fierce, it won’t be long
until you bump up against some fears. Maybe you worry about what other people
will think. Perhaps you doubt you can accomplish your goals. Maybe you’re trying
something no one else has done before. Whatever your reasons, fear is a natural
part of the process. It’s your inner voice trying to keep you safe.
The problem is that you can’t grow if you’re always living
in your safety zone. If you truly want to grow and become fierce, you have to
leave the comfort of the known. Here are a few tips to make that journey
easier…
Take a Tiny
Step
I almost drowned as a child and I used to be afraid to go
near bodies of water after that. So when I had to learn to swim in college, I was panic-stricken. But swimming was part of the PE class that was required and so I had no choice.
I took a tiny step by going to my local store and
purchasing a swim suit. A few days later, I went to observe my friend during her swimming class and observed a kind nun teaching her students how to float. (All-girl Catholic college, y'all).
The next time I went to the pool, I went into the water
ankle high. I kept focusing on the tiny steps one at a time so my big goal
didn’t feel quite so overwhelming or impossible. With the support of Sister Cornelius, I was able to swim 6 different strokes by the end of the semester! (Too bad I couldn't use them when my kayak flipped! But those lessons did keep me from panicking!)
Ask for
Accountability
Sometimes, overcoming a fear is easier if you know other
people are watching you. For example, when I wanted to finish my first book. I'd been talking about it for years but had never actually completed it. So I announced publicly
that I would be writing my book that year.
I joined an online writing group and posted daily about
my progress. Knowing that my fellow writers were following my journey gave
me the courage to keep going. Even on the days when I didn’t feel like
writing, I still showed up because I didn’t want to let myself down. And I didn't want the other group members to see me quit.
Create a
Point of No Return
Barb had struggled with video marketing for years. She
wanted to do it but she was terrified of messing up in front of the camera. So
she would record a few takes, get discouraged that her videos weren’t perfect
then give up.
But Barb’s husband encouraged her to create a point of no
return so that she had to post daily videos that were livestreaming. Barb liked
the idea because it would force her to let go of her perfectionist tendency. So
she announced that she was doing daily Facebook Live videos on her fan page.
At first, no one paid attention to Barb and that made it
easier for her to keep going. As time went on, her reach grew and she started
to build a supportive community around her videos.
Bring a
Friend
You can go a step further than I did and bring a friend along with you on your next adventure. My friend Chris loves to try new things. But she is older and a bit shy and so she worries she’ll feel out of place. So she invites me to go with her so she doesn’t have to face a bunch of strangers on her own.
I have discovered many new things and have had some interesting experiences while tagging along with Chris. And Chris has discovered some exiting new hobbies that she loves and has made a whole new circle of friends. It all started because we were willing to be fierce
together.
