by Terri Norvell

Posted June 5, 2001

Turn Fear Into Power

"Fear is being very close to truth and frightened to look at it. The other side of fear is insight." Betty Bethards

Fear is a block. It holds us back from trusting ourselves, causes worry, makes our bodies tense, and fear masquerades as the need to control. We each have fears about concerns that zap our energy. When we are afraid of anything, we are acknowledging its power to hurt us. Fear appears real for each of us. But only in our minds!

What is F.E.A.R? It's False Evidence Appearing Real. It's an illusion when we believe that something is real but it isn't. We've heard many times that anything feared must be faced in order for it to go away. This is how we 'face our fears' and turn them into power for our confidence and growth. I look at fear or discomfort as an indicator, a sign, that I need to handle something, change a belief, or choose a different interpretation.

Let's take the example of children who mistake harmless things, like a shadow of a toy in the night, for horrible monsters. Some have the courage to turn on the light and take a look. Others have the courage to cry out for help. But those who choose to hide under the covers, afraid to even breathe, are in the worse position of all. They are prisoners of their own imaginations. When we grow older it's not so easy to hide under the covers.

Instead, we learn to hide from our fears in other ways. We believe that denial will make them go away. Awareness of our fears is the first step in breaking out of the pattern of worry and control. Here's the Four Step process to facing your fears and reclaiming your power.

A. Awareness. First we need to identify our fears.

B. Choice. We always have choices and our options include: to deny, ignore or accept the situation.

C. Understand. We need to comprehend the root sources of our fears.

D. Action. Having the courage to take one step will lead to the next step.

Taking action is the key to breaking through our fears. Start by making a list of any fears that come to mind. You know it's a fear if you feel helpless or frustrated in some area. Then, what is one fear you want to start facing today? The other side of fear is insight. Insight provides renewed confidence and belief in yourself. What a powerful gift to give yourself.

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