How Going Uphill Can Release Your Fears and Give You Confidence

So, do you feel like you have been going uphill in 2020? For many this year has been an uphill battle.

Whether it be personal, or job and career-related it has been a challenging year for many. Learn how you can release your fears and move ahead.

My Going Uphill Experience

Driving up a mountain by accident got me thinking about fears. I never thought I would drive up this mountain in a regular vehicle let alone a 4×4 Can-Am. The dirt roads were narrow and sometimes rocky going up this mountain for 4 miles.

But on this one day my husband I was out for a ride in a Can-Am and he said, “do you want to try driving this?” The area was flat and rocky, so I said “yes.” I had never driven one before.

When I came upon the sign leading to the mountain I said, “I will pull over shortly so you can take over, I can’t drive up that major hill/mountain in this.”

But, little did I know there was no place to pull over. I had to do it myself. I could not look at the big picture and all around me. The views were 360 panoramic of beautiful mountains.

But, I could only focus on the road ahead to make it to the top. I also had to let go of the fear of my previous accident.  I could not look at the beautiful views until I got to the top!

This experience got me thinking. How do we get over other fears we may have?

Break Up the Fearful Situation into Little Pieces

I think the situation taught me to focus on one thing at a time. If you look at the whole big picture you will feel fearful and discouraged.

You can’t look back and you can’t look too far forward. You have to focus on the moment.

Each little hill and curve I made up that hill I had done one at a time, slow and steady. I gained confidence with each one I climbed in the Can-Am.

Exposure Therapy May Help Release Your Fears

I love doing things that I am afraid of. Not only does this boost my self-esteem it makes me feel better once I’ve completed the fearful “event.”  I have done this with ziplining over the years.

My first zipline experience was in Las Vegas on the strip. I was scared to death but once I started zipping through the air, I loved it!

Psychology Today recently wrote about this: “With exposure therapy, you will initially feel anxious when facing your fears. However, the purposeful act of seeking out your fear actually sends the opposite message to your brain, a message of acceptance.

When you stay in a situation despite the alarms, you give your brain the opportunity to realize that what you are facing is benign — that there is nothing to be frightened of and that you can cope with whatever circumstances arise.

As a result, the more you face your fears the less anxious you eventually feel. Much like when burnt toast sets off the smoke alarm, it may be startling at first, but you know the house is not actually on fire.”

Could these same principles be applied to us in business too?

Release Your Fears in Your Career Or Business

I used to be fearful of not making my goals for commission when I worked full time. What I could do to help myself was to break down the quarter into a month and then into a week and a day. It would help me to reach goals in the short-term to make the longer-term goals.

The same type of thing applied when I left my full-time job/career after 35 years and worked for myself.  That was a huge fear in taking a leap of faith. Many people cannot make that transition for the fear holds them back.

I know many people who have lost their jobs this year and have yet to reinvent themselves because of fear of the unknown. Others, I know have done just that and have succeeded beyond their dreams.

Think: What is the worst thing that can happen? I may take on a new job or start a new business that will fail. Well, one failure does not lead to total failure. Many failures turn a situation or person into a success. We learn best from our failures. But you have to let go of the fears to begin!

Are you ready to release your fears and begin a new journey?