Worry is like paying
interest on a debt that you don’t yet owe. It’s useless, wasteful, and
ridiculous. Yet many of us do it. It’s important to note that worry stems from
fear. While fear can certainly save you from entering a dangerous situation, it
can also prevent you from pursuing a life changing opportunity. Fear can hold
you back in your career, your relationships, and in achieving your dreams. Worst
of all is when fear keeps us from fulfilling our highest purpose. One thing is
for certain. The more power you give fear. The more it controls you.
You don't have to let your fears keep you trapped. You can
face your fears head-on, one small step at a time. Facing your fears builds
mental muscle. The more mental muscle you have. The easier it is to face your
fears. Get
hands-on about doing the things that scare you, and building the mental strength you need to live
your best life. Many people work hard to prevent
themselves from ever feeling anxious that they
actually develop depression.
Their efforts to keep themselves comfortable unintentionally go wrong. They
live boring, safe lives that are void of the risk and excitement they need to
feel fully alive. Here are the top fears that hold people back in life:
Being Judged- It's normal to want
to be liked. But the fear of being judged can prevent you from being your
true self. The truth is some people will judge you harshly no matter what. Trusting
that you're mentally strong enough to live according to your
values is key to living your best life. People who worry that they’ll be
judged negatively by others often shy away from social opportunities or chances
to advance their career. People who adopt this fear often exaggerate how others
will perceive them negatively and underestimate their ability to tolerate not
being received by others.
Change-You live in
an ever-changing world. Change happens more rapidly than ever before.
There are many people who fear change so they
resist it. The fear of change can cause people to become stagnant and they may
miss out on many promising opportunities that come their way. You run the risk
of staying stuck in a rut when you avoid change.
Failure- It's embarrassing
to fail. It may reinforce your beliefs that you don't measure up. You might
avoid doing anything where success isn't guaranteed. Failure is a normal part
of life and learning from failure
can help you find eventual success.
Getting Hurt-Quite often, our
fears of getting hurt cause us to become emotionally overprotective of
ourselves. Your fear of uncomfortable feelings and emotional wounds might
prevent you from making deep, meaningful connections. It might stop you from
being vulnerable at work. Without emotional risk, there aren't any
rewards. You should have some fear of getting hurt. If you didn’t, you
wouldn’t look both ways before you crossed the street. People who have a big
fear of being emotionally hurt often refuse to enter into relationships. They
may avoid friendships, keep family away, and skip romantic relationships due to
a fear that they won’t be able to handle getting hurt.
Inadequacy- Another fear shared
by many people is the feeling of not being good enough. If you feel like you
don't measure up, you might become an underachiever. Often, they overcompensate
for their fears by trying to be a perfectionist but remain plagued by thoughts
that they just can’t prove their worth to other people. The fear of inadequacy can be deep-rooted. While
it's hard to face it head-on, you'll never succeed until you feel worthy of
your success. They may pass up opportunities for a promotion or may decline an
opportunity to lead a group because they worry that they’re inadequate.
Loneliness- The fear
of loneliness can sometimes cause people to stay in bad relationships,
or obsessively use social media to the extent that they miss out on making
face-to-face connections. While it's smart to ward off loneliness, it's
important to surround yourself with healthy social interactions. Learning
how to tolerate feeling lonely and finding ways to keep yourself company can
help manage the fear of loneliness.
Loss of
Freedom-A certain amount of this fear can
be healthy, but it becomes a problem when it holds you back in life. For many
people, the fear of the loss of freedom becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. For
example, someone who wants to live a free life might avoid getting a job
with a steady income. Consequently, they might miss out on the freedom that
comes with financial stability.
So it's important to consider what you're
giving up when you fear to lose certain freedoms. Many people enjoy the
freedom they have as a single person and as a result, they avoid serious
relationships due to a fear that they won’t be able to tolerate the loss of the
freedom. Although some loss of freedom does accompany a serious relationship,
it’s important to balance independence with dependence and maintain some
freedoms.
Rejection- Many people avoid
things like meeting new people, or trying to enter into a new relationship
because of the fear of rejection. Even individuals who are already married
sometimes avoid asking their long-time spouse for something, imagining that the
person will say no. Whether you're scared to ask that attractive person
out on a date or to ask your boss for a raise, the fear of rejection could keep
you stuck. While rejection stings, it doesn't hurt as much as a missed
opportunity. Don’t let the fear of rejection hold you back. Do it anyway.
Something
Bad Happening-It
is an unfortunate and inevitable fact that bad things will happen in life. Sometimes,
the fear of doom prevents people from enjoying life. You can't prevent bad
things from happening all the time. Don't let that fear stop you from living a
rich, full life that's also full of good things. When people constantly fear
something bad happening, it often restricts their activities. They may avoid
doing a lot of things or going to certain places due to an unrealistic fear
that bad things may happen.
Uncertainty- There's no
guarantee that doing something new will make life better. Staying the same is
one definite way to stay stagnant. This fear can prevent people from trying new
things or doing things differently from the way they’ve always been done. Whether
you're afraid to accept a new job or afraid to move to a new city, don't let
the fear of uncertainty hold you back. They often worry, “What if I don’t
like it?”
“Of
all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears.” (Rudyard Kipling)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“The
5 Fears That Hold You Back From the Life of Your Dreams” By Whitney Anthony
·
“Top
10 Fears That Hold People Back in Life” by Amy Morin
No comments:
Post a Comment