Saturday, September 10, 2011

Are You Living A Fear-Based Existence?

3 Clues That Fear Is Ruling Your Life…

The news is all gloom and doom these days, isn’t it? Recession, foreclosures, natural disasters, terrorist plots…  We live in a world that is dominated by fear and it has trickled down into every part of our lives.  Fear dominates our culture, our schools, our business…and it can easily dominate our life. If we let it, that is.
Which, unfortunately, many of us do….

We go through our days on autopilot and don’t even realize that fear has us it’s in grasp. We simply soak in all the negativity around us and get pulled into the under current. But if we would stop for a moment and think about our life…about our reactions to things, the thoughts that run through our head, and the reason why we make the decisions we do…we would see that fear is calling all the shots.
  
Do you live in a fear based existence?  Here are 3 ways to tell…

1.       Look at what you are focusing on during the day. 
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Garbage in, garbage out?” What you put into your mind matters – it determines your outlook, your attitude and, ultimately, your actions.
For example, you watch the news and see that the economy is in a nosedive. So you decide to put your dream of starting your own business on hold. After all, you figure, there’s no way you can succeed in this environment, right? Wrong! Your fear is simply shaping your perception.
Do you know more millionaires were created during the Great Depression than at any other time in history?  

When you live in a fear based existence, you develop tunnel vision. You only see the problems that exist, and the things that can go wrong.  Fear shuts out your ability to see the abundance of opportunities available, the resources at your disposal and the massive potential that resides around you.     

2.       Look at the language you use.
Have you ever thought about the words you use and how they affect your life? We don’t often pay attention to what we say - or think about the profound impact it has on our lives - but language plays a crucial role in fear based thinking.
                “I can’t”
                “I’m terrified….”
                “I could never…”
                “I’m afraid I can’t make it.”
Everything you say goes straight to your subconscious. It doesn’t judge or analyze the data. It simply takes it in and accepts it as fact.  Think about what that means – about the power language has to determine your state of mind or perception of events.   
Your words matter – use them wisely.    

3.       Look at who you surround yourself with.
Your world is also shaped, to a large extent, by the people in it.
Who do you spend the majority of your time with? Are they energized and excited about life? Or are they constantly seeing the problems and danger in the world?
It’s hard to stay positive when you are surrounded by naysayers.  Jim Rohn, one of the most highly acclaimed motivational speakers of our time said, “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” If you are spending your time with fear based thinkers, chances are their beliefs will start to seep into your reality as well.

So, are you living a fear based existence? Are you trapped inside your comfort zone?
If you are, you’re severely limiting your possibilities and stifling your potential. Your brain is focused on simply surviving – not thriving – and your action will reflect this. Fear creates a permanent state of limbo and it can wreak havoc on your desire to create success.     

It will also lead to exhaustion. When your mind is in a state of fear, your body subverts all your energy to prepare to fight or flight. Remaining in this heightened state of awareness drains your physical (and mental) resources and can cause all sorts of health problems, like hypertension and high blood pressure.
Fear isn’t just killing your dreams – it’s killing you. 

The good news is you can break free. You have the power to create a life based on faith, happiness and courage. You have the power to create a fearless existence...and you can start TODAY.  Monitor the things you focus on, choose your words carefully, and share your environment with supportive and positive peers. 
Remember, fear is temporary. Regret is permanent. Don’t spend another day regretting your inability to move forward. Take action, tap into your inner strength, and experience the explosive power that exists inside of you!