Feeling the Fear
“Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.”
This post is going to be half book review/recommendation and half reflection on exciting developments in the world of Psykhe. There has been a lot happening over the past few weeks. We’ve launched this website and blog, our podcast is now out in the world and our online course is coming soon (11th November)
Exciting right? Yes. Absolutely. But also scary. Change can be overwhelming, even when it is a positive change such as following your dreams and giving your own business a shot. It’s still something new and unknown. Which can naturally bring up feelings of fear. What if nobody listens or reads? Have I made the right choice? Will I be able to afford rent and food? And so on.
“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.”
Launching the podcast in particular was accompanied by a real feeling of fear. Of vulnerability. I’m normally quite a reserved person. I can be open, to an extent, but even with people I trust I still hold back a little. I put up barriers. I keep my inner thoughts and feelings to myself. And here I am on the very first episode laying it all out there (or so it feels!), and welcoming people in to my world. I felt awkward. Vulnerable. Afraid.
I felt that feeling. I thought about not sharing it. I asked myself, what’s the worst that can happen? No-one listens maybe. Or people criticise me. What is the worst that can happen of not doing it? Not exploring the possibility of success. Not helping people. Fortunately I have just finished reading the classic self-development book ‘Feel the Fear…and do it anyway’ by Susan Jeffers. Honestly, I’ve had this book quite a long time but had never got around to reading it. But I’ve come to realise how much fear governs my decision making process and how much it has held me back in my life. So I dug the book out and had a read.
The book is written in a very relaxed way so it’s easy to read, full of useful information and strategies. One thing that I found really interesting as well were the case studies at the end of each chapter, seeing how people had implemented the lessons. I don’t want to give it away (and will probably be sued!) but ultimately it’s about how we react to situations and our ability to deal with them. If we believe we can deal with them then we can! It’s that classic saying, ‘whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right’ (Henry Ford).
So back to the podcast. Can I deal with no-one listening to the podcast? Yes. Actually that’s pretty safe if the fear is about putting myself out there and being vulnerable, i.e. getting hurt in some way. Well, if no-one listens, they can’t hurt me. Can I deal with criticism? Yes. Will it be uncomfortable if there is real negativity? Probably. Does the fear of that outweigh the benefits of being vulnerable? The podcast is about sharing advice, strategies and helping people shift their mindset and increase their wellbeing. I want people to trust me and to feel a sense of connection, to build the type of community that my favourite podcasts have. And to do that I need to be open and real. So that’s worth the risk. I want to see what’s possible when I don’t let fear run my life. There is real courage in being vulnerable and putting yourself out there.
I’m trying to think about the lessons I can learn from different events in my life and so in each podcast we’re giving strategies/tips. It’s the same for the blog. So…
Top take away:
When you feel anxious about doing something, ask yourself what the risk is (the fear) and what the benefits are. What is the risk of doing it? And what is the risk of not doing it? Is it worth the risks? And can you deal with it? And if fear is a big issue for you, it’s definitely worth checking out Susan Jeffers book. Oh, and listen to the fear-inducing premiere of our podcast.
