Fear is a destructive force, which can cut short the careers and crush the motivation of even the most aspirational women. But no matter what your demons tell you, a life of abundance is very much possible for anyone who is willing to face up to their fears and take a leap into the unknown. In fact, for those who want to take themselves to the highest of professional heights, a life without fear is an absolute necessity.
Everyone is very much capable of saying “no” to fear and powering on towards success. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, though. Transformational life coach Lisa Cheatham knows that better than most, having made it to her current place of success after battling through financial instability, shame and uncertainty.
Having made the right choice to finally leave her abusive husband several years ago, she was left with no income and no one to turn to. But she believed in her potential and knew she could really make something of herself if only she could find the right career path. While she had no experience in entrepreneurship at the time, she came to realise that in order to become a success she would need to pursue her passion and turn it into something lucrative. And that’s exactly what she did. She is now the motivational force behind countless high achieving clients, her business is booming, and fear no longer has a place in her life.
Lisa has the confidence of her convictions and has helped many other women find their own sense of self-assurance. Through doing what she does (and doing it so well), she has come to understand that there are few things more profitable than certainty and drive. Without these two key elements, it just isn’t possible to hit your most ambitious career targets.
Living without fear isn’t just a plus in your professional life – it is also so important for your personal life. Anyone who wants to know what it’s like to be fully expressed and alive needs to have the courage to take a shot in the dark and walk away from situations that no longer serve them.
This all sounds so simple when it’s put down in words, but actually the process of removing fear is often difficult and uncomfortable. It really is so, so worth it, though. Here are some of Lisa’s top tips to help get you started.
Acknowledge your demons
It’s impossible to truly eradicate fear if you refuse to pay attention to what it is you’re afraid of. So in order to overcome your fears, it’s important that you acknowledge them. This could involve finally facing up to the demons that so often occupy your mind, or it could mean digging deep to find something sinister that you didn’t even realise was holding you back.
Understanding all the ways in which your fears work to keep you from fulfilling your potential is the first and, arguably, most important step in building a life of confidence and success. Looking inwards can be a hard and even overwhelming thing to do, but in doing so you give yourself the opportunity to address the root cause of your anxieties and conquer them once and for all.
It can help at this point to make a note of the things you find out about yourself and your fears, and then start to work through them in a way that makes sense to you, whether that be one by one or all at the same time. Otherwise, the task can just feel too daunting, and that stops some people from even trying.
Embrace affirmations
Once you have a handle on exactly what you’re dealing with, it’s time to start pushing back against your fears. One of the best and easiest ways to do just that is through affirmations. Affirmations help you to rewire your brain, by creating paths of positivity that can cut across the existing fear-ridden paths that hold you back.
So, when your fears get in the way or you start thinking negative thoughts, tell yourself (either out loud or in your head) that you are capable, you are strong, and that you are on the road to success. You can also try doing this in the mirror every morning, repeating phrases that uplift you while looking at yourself. Just find the ones that work best for you.
Prove yourself wrong
Sometimes, the only way to eradicate fear is to do something in spite of it, and prove to yourself that, actually, you were always capable of coming out on top. Maybe the whole “just do it” approach sounds easier said than done, and in many ways it is. But to really show fear the door, you have to take that leap into the darkness and know that, when you do land on your feet, you’ll end up being that much more confident.
For example, if you wanted to up your rates for your products or services but were afraid that people just won’t think they’re worth the money, do it anyway. Have the confidence to take that big step towards success, no matter how scary it might seem, and have faith that the results will help to prove just how wrong those negative voices were.