If you were to look up fearless, in the dictionary, you will see that it’s defined as an adjective that means to be without fear; to be bold or brave; intrepid. When it comes to fearlessness, I find that there are usually two kinds of people. There are those that are perfectly happy following rules and paths that were set by someone else. They go with the flow in every aspect of their life ensuring that they don’t “rock the boat” in anyway to have a calm, predictable yet fulfilling life. The other group of people will flip the boat all the way over in order to find their true happiness even though it’s the “road less traveled” and has unknown results.
Fear is probably one of the most powerful feelings we possess. Think about it…what keeps you at a job for 10 years when you knew that you despised it after 2 years?? It was the fear of not being able to find another job that will actually make you happy while paying the bills. What keeps people in a longterm relationship despite the fact that they hate coming home because they have to see him or her? I’ll tell you…it’s the fear that you won’t find anyone else which means you will be alone and miserable for the rest of your life. Fear controls so much of what we do simply because the fear of the unknown is too much to bear. Especially if what you have been doing is working.
Most of my life was spent living in fear. Sitting in a cubicle at the same job for over 13 years knowing that it would lead to nothing but a steady paycheck. Afraid to apply for a nicer car than the one that I was driving because I was afraid to be declined by the bank. Fearful of submitting an application to be a fitness trainer because I was afraid they wouldn’t think I was “fit enough” (even though I spend hours weekly exercising). Staying in a unhealthy, miserable relationship because I was too afraid of what would happen after breaking up with him. Yep, fear controlled every single part of my life. Until one day, out of the blue, I sat for a long while pondering, “what the hell am I so afraid of?”. The only answer that I came up with at the time was simply not knowing what could happen. That was it?! And just like that, I switched from being of afraid of everything to throwing fear right out the window and moving.
Being fearless doesn’t mean you’re not scared of anything. It just means that you are putting the fear to the side and doing it anyway. Fear can hold us back from living the life that we truly want to live. If you are ready to take a leap into “the fearless life”, take a look at these 7 tips that can help you get there:
• Tip 1: Shake The Haters Off – Haters will hate and there’s nothing that you can do about it. You have to learn to not let others criticism of your choices, affect your path. Remain confident that you will accomplish the goals you’ve set, no matter what others think. Need help coming up with responses? Try these: “It’s nice of you to offer advice but I’m good. Thanks for offering!”
• “Yes, I’m sure this is what I want to do”
• “I’ve done my research and I’m on the path to fixing the issue”
• “Thanks for the referral! I’ll be sure to contact him/her if I need help”
• Tip 2: Keep Your Business To Yourself – Learning when to keep your business to yourself is so important. New business ideas can be so exciting that you can’t wait to share with others. But think before you speak. Unfortunately, telling everyone about your next move will only increase your fear because people love giving unsolicited advice. Which can lead to giving you doubt. Fear and doubt don’t work good together. As a matter of fact, they don’t belong together at all. Don’t tell people about you new ideas, plans, or goals until you have gotten to a point where they can see it happening. Keep your mouth closed and let your actions do the talking.
• Tip 3: If At First You Don’t Succeed, Dust Yourself Off And Try Again – Trial and error will be an effective tool in your fearless life. Understand that somethings you attempt may not work out the first time. Whether you are opening a new business or moving across the world, there will be challenges. The key is to find a way to overcome them, learn from them and continue on your path.
• Tip 4: You aren’t Beyonce, boo: Social media has its benefits and drawbacks, for sure. Who doesn’t enjoy scrolling through IG pics of Bey shopping at the finest stores and opening successful businesses with the most perfect family that you have ever seen. But who the heck knows what’s going on when the camera is off and the filters aren’t added?! Remember, everyone is different and will have a different path. Breaking your bank account to follow her style and taking trips around the world won’t make you Beyonce, boo! If you are constantly comparing yourself to others, you will never find your fearless life path. The only difference between the “successful” people and you is their drive and determination. YOU are YOU…be confident in that. Find your own path to follow and let it take you wherever YOU want to go.
• Tip 5: There Are No Do-Overs – It may sound cliche but the real truth is that you only live once, there are no second chances or do-overs. If you plan on being fearless then you should make the most of absolutely every opportunity that presents itself and is aligned with your goals. If you have the opportunity that you can’t pass up comes along…DON’T!
• Tip 6: What’s The Worst That Can Happen? – Taking risks for a bigger reward is definitely scary but what’s the worst that can happen? You may be told, “no” and you may even have to try something else. Last I checked, no one died from hearing the word “no” or from failing at something.
• Tip 7: Daydream – When fear comes up, one of the first thoughts that pop into our head is probably all of the bad things and/or obstacles you might face. But you have to re-train the way you think. Focus on how great life will be once you do it! The satisfaction you will feel by starting your own business, the free time you will have with your family by taking a less demanding job, the freedom you will feel after selling all of your things and living in a tiny house in the middle of woods. It will all be worth it!
Be confident in who you are, what you can achieve in your quest to live fearlessy in happiness. Keep these tips in mind throughout your journey. They are sure to assist you along the way.
Remember, never give up on something you want. It may be difficult to fight through and wait but it will be even more difficult to regret.
Stay Fearless 💋
