#7 - Fear

Hey there!

Welcome to my 7th newsletter on achieving a Positive Mindset and Growth.

If you have any stories to share about Mindset Growth, share with me to share with my audience!

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Today, we talk about Fear.

 I am still waiting for you (my subscribers) to share your story, so I will tell another one of mine.

Did you know - Until end of my high school, I couldn't say "hi" to anyone. I use to be extremely shy, and just thinking of saying a single word to anyone would make me so afraid that it became impossible for me to do. So, what did I do to overcome my fear?

Naturally, I took a speech class in my first semester of undergrad! What better way to face my fear than to attack it head-on, right?? It didn't make me comfortable with talking to others right away, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. If I hadn't taken that step, I wouldn't be where I am right now - Senior Manager at a global multi-billion company, doing YouTube videos and running my own business on the side.

Overcoming fear is a challenge that many people face in their lives. Fear can hold us back from pursuing our goals, taking risks, and living fully. However, fear can also be overcome with the right strategies and mindset. Here are some clear steps on how to overcome fear and achieve your dreams.

1. Identify your fears. The first step is to acknowledge what you are afraid of and why. Is it a specific situation, object, or person? Is it a fear of failure, rejection, or uncertainty? Write down your fears and try to understand where they come from.

2. Recognize that fear can work to your advantage. Fear is not always a bad thing. It can alert you to potential dangers and motivate you to prepare and act. Fear can also help you grow and learn from your experiences. Instead of seeing fear as an enemy, see it as an ally that can help you achieve your goals.

3. Sit with your fear. One of the most effective ways to overcome fear is to face it head-on. This does not mean that you have to do something reckless or dangerous, but rather that you expose yourself to small doses of the fear-inducing activity in a safe context. For example, if you are afraid of public speaking, you can practice in front of a mirror, then with a friend, then with a small group, and so on.

4. Create goals that are “musts”. Another way to overcome fear is to create goals that are so compelling and meaningful that you have no choice but to pursue them. These are goals that align with your values, passions, and purpose. They are goals that make you feel excited and fulfilled. When you have a strong reason why, you can overcome any how.

5. Recognize the excuses. Sometimes we use fear as an excuse to avoid doing something that we know we should do. We tell ourselves that we are not ready, not good enough, not smart enough, or not lucky enough. These are limiting beliefs that keep us stuck in our comfort zone. To overcome fear, we need to challenge these beliefs and replace them with empowering ones.

6. Surround yourself with success. The people we spend time with have a huge influence on our mindset and behavior. If we surround ourselves with people who are fearful, negative, and pessimistic, we will adopt their attitude and habits. On the other hand, if we surround ourselves with people who are fearless, positive, and optimistic, we will be inspired and motivated by their example.

7. Adopt a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that you can improve your abilities and skills through effort and learning. A growth mindset helps you overcome fear because it makes you see challenges as opportunities to grow, rather than threats to avoid. A growth mindset also helps you embrace feedback, learn from mistakes, and persist in the face of obstacles.

8. Find valuable insight in pain. Sometimes overcoming fear involves experiencing pain, discomfort, or failure. These are inevitable parts of life that we cannot avoid or escape. However, we can choose how we respond to them. We can either let them defeat us or teach us. We can either dwell on them or learn from them.

9. Celebrate your progress. Overcoming fear is not a one-time event, but a continuous process. It requires patience, perseverance, and courage. Along the way, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small or big it may be. Celebrating your progress will boost your confidence, motivation, and happiness.

10. Repeat as necessary. Finally, overcoming fear is not something that you do once and forget about it. It is something that you need to do over and over again as new fears arise or old fears resurface. The more you practice overcoming fear, the easier it will become and the more fearless you will be.

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Thank you for reading this newsletter! More to come next week!

As part of my weekly newsletter, I am asking the Subscribers to share any positive stories of mental growth they had throughout their lives. Even though all stories will be great, I will be choosing only 1 story to share each week (while keeping it anonymous). You can direct message me on LinkedIn!

I look forward to what you share!!