We Have Nothing to Fear But . . .

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Fear was designed to protect us.

It can prevent us from putting ourselves in dangerous situations.

But fear can also be irrational.

Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13.

I’ve never had my life threatened by the number 13, or any other number for that matter.

This fear doesn’t seem to have much utility.

Most of the fear we experience nowadays is like that.

It interferes with our lives and keeps us prisoners within our comfort zones.

Then our comfort zone gets smaller and smaller.

Some other debilitating fears are

· Fear of failure.

· Fear of embarrassment.

· Fear of rejection.

If we give in to these fears, they will prevent us from living the fulfilling life we were meant to live.

They have only as much power over us as we give them.

We can reduce their strength by allowing ourselves to experience them in small doses and surviving.

The most common way we encounter these fears is when we must give a speech or make a presentation.

Our breathing gets shallow. Our heart rate increases. Our hands begin to sweat.