I’ve been blogging now for six months and I’m loving it. The interaction, the new friends and, of course, a huge amount of learning.

One of the most exciting things is to follow the number of eyeballs that see each of my posts. These stats are growing steadily which is gratifying in itself. One post stands out with almost twice the views of the next nearest.

The title was Fear is the natural reaction when getting closer to the truth! Have a look at the post if you missed it first time round. In essence I was writing about my fear of public speaking and how overcoming this affliction has brought me many rewards.

I’ve been reflecting on why a post about fear would prove so popular.

We all feel fear. In fact we often actively seek it out. The scary movie, that book with the dark plot and of course the terrifying roller coaster ride.

So what is your relationship with fear? Do you control your fears, even enjoy them or do you let fear hold you back?

Is fear a catalyst for the appropriate evaluation of risk or do you allow irrational fears to stop you from taking the actions that deep down you know are right.

So what is the opposite of fear? I believe that bravery is the state that we need to cultivate. I often pose the following question to my coaching and mentoring clients – “what life are you brave enough to ask for today?” This is a challenging question because it forces my clients to address their fears and their limiting beliefs. You may have read the poem by Marianne Williamson that begins:

 

“Our deepest 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.”

 

So what is your relationship with fear? Do you acknowledge your fears, address those that can be resolved and accept those that are a natural part of you?

I suspect that many people treat their fears as some kind of secret weakness. They let their fears adversely affect their decision making and therefore never take that life changing step towards the future that they really desire.

So look in the mirror, acknowledge those fears and perhaps look for a mentor who can tell you about their fears.

You are not alone.

Everyone has their own unique selection of fears. The differentiation lies in how well you overcome or accommodate those fears.