What is fear?

                                                 Fear : a noun

1. A very unpleasant or disturbing feeling caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
   “Our fears intensified as the storm approached.”
2. A state or condition marked by this feeling.
   “living in constant fear of attack; saved as much as he could for fear of losing his job.”
3. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension.
   “a fear of looking foolish.”

There are many quotes and sayings about fear and how it impacts our actions and reactions. They all come to the same conclusion:fear is a projection of what could or might happen and how we react to an abstract. We can not control the future.  We can plan for what might transpire and make sure we have examined possibilities, and that is it.

You take a new job, you might be worried you won’t like it, afraid you won’t be accepted or even concerned they think you are an imposter and not as good as you “pretend’ to be. What can you do to mitigate this?  Do your research. Talk to people who work there, ask questions, go on the internet and learn how others view the company.  As to the imposter issue that is your lack of confidence. You know you are qualified and have worked hard to get where you are. Not everyone is going to like you. That is a fact. You want them to respect what you do and you want to show your abilities in ways that support the company and the people in it.  Let others see by your actions that you deserve to be where you are.

It has been said that we regret the opportunities we didn’t take; the date, the trip, the purchase, or fulfilling a dream. For purchases, especially large ones you again need to do research and make sure it feels right.  I know when we bought our house 3 years ago we looked around a lot and figured out the budget and where we would be happy then we did it. Yes we could have stayed in our old house but the new one has given us so much more. I could tell you many stories about taking the leap of faith and knowing in my gut I was right  It is about your gut not your head because your head plays old tapes about fear and stops you. Listen to Mel Robbins and the 5 second rule for great tips to overcome the old fear tapes and take the leap.

Identify what you want and how you want to be seen, then find ways to achieve it. You are the only limiting factor to your success. Don’t let opportunities pass you by.