However, I have experienced that fear is actually the gatekeeper at the doorway to change. We all have to face it when we want to reach a higher level of living.  Facing fear is like a ritual we have to go through to reach the other side.

The good news is that many of our fears are imagined and made up.
The word FEAR is as an acronym for: False Expectations Appear Real.

The long list of our imagined fears makes us feel helpless and insecure.  One way I deflate the power of fear is to write down my personal fears and determine, which of these are false fears.

It is hard to focus on your task of speaking or performing when your head is filled with self-sabotaging talk about what others think of you.

We tend to assume that others think the worst of us. The origin for those feelings and thoughts come from our own insecurities and fears. We just project them onto others.

To prevent overwhelming myself with assumptions I get constructive feedback wherever I can. In case of public presentations I use a questionnaire at the end of my workshops to find out what the audience really thinks or I talk to some of the participants after the presentations. Sometimes I ask some friends who attended the presentation to gather some feedback.

Then I celebrate the positive feedback!

Next I look at some of the criticism and decide if it is appropriate to make adjustments to my presentation. Criticism doesn’t always mean you didn’t do well. Sometimes people have a difficult day and they view your presentation through this lens. It is your choice to take on the criticism or let it go.

Being the leader of your life means to take 100% responsibility for your thoughts, emotions and actions.

Long held beliefs often stay in our way from taking full responsibility for our life. Beliefs can keep us from moving forward and creating the life we want to live.

The belief that asking for help makes us seem weak and incompetent is one of those thoughts that is in our way.

Since childhood we are taught to be strong and ask for help only when we cannot do it alone.  In reality, asking for help is the smarter way to go through life.  It harvests new ideas, empowers others and makes life easier.

When you face a problem and do not ask for help you rely only on your own experience and resources.  But when you brainstorm or collaborate with others amazing ideas and solutions can appear.

When you help others, you feel expansive and valued. If you do not give other people the chance to help you, you deprive them of these feelings.  By asking for help we offer others love, respect and increase their confidence.  Asking for help allows us to empower others.

Rediscover the power of asking for help: Resolve to ask for help as often as you can for the next 7 days.