How do you face your fears?

I saw this quote on Instagram yesterday, and felt compelled to respond.  

Reading it, I thought: that's all well and good, but how do you get through the facing-fear part first?

When fear is bearing down on you, whispering in your ear very convincingly that you don't know what you're doing, you can't figure this out, and it's not going to work, the last thing most of us want to do is hang out there any longer than we have to.

If that's where you are right now, this quote can make it sound like all of the cool kids and totally-together people just face their fears, leap into the unknown, and boom it all works out.

It's not usually that simple. There are also a number of moments hiding under your covers.

The easiest way to face your fears IS NOT the grin-and-bear-it-on-your-own method.

Egads.

THE EASIEST WAY to face your fears is with company.

Which is exactly what fear tells you NOT to do.

While it's whispering in your ear, fear will try to convince you that you are alone in this, and that if you tell anyone that you are afraid you'll be exposed, lose respect, or be unloved and unlovable. A friend likened fear to a mean bully. That sounds about right, doesn't it?

Don't listen.

[box] Instead: 

Tell someone you trust that you're scared. [/box]

Fear withers in front of a crowd. You and someone who believes in you can find a way out of anything. That's what I help clients with, listening and believing in them and reducing fear by being in it together.

If you need help facing your fears, schedule a free 30-minute call with me -- or post in our Life-Lovers & Leapers FB community. That's what it's there for and already folks are chiming in on the subject.

Either way will make it all much less scary. Promise.