Flip the Fear

What is one of your greatest fears? Posing for a bikini shoot perhaps? What about something a little deeper than that? I mentioned that I just started reading May Cause Miracles by Gabrielle Bernstein. It’s a 40 day guide-book to shifting perspective. In day one she asks you to witness your fears then write them down. To go with each fear, you write down the situations and thoughts that trigger the fear, the feelings associated and then the actions that result from the feelings. Excellent!

For example:

I am afraid that people won’t get anything out of reading my website

• triggered by low levels of comments or “likes”
• thoughts of “what if no one thinks it’s valuable?”
• feelings of vulnerability, inadequacy
• actions of disinterest in site, less passion in writing, less personal writing

Now this is an exercise that is really foreign to me because I seldom focus on my fears. It IS so great to see the power of fear in what actions it leads to!

HERE is how I add to the exercise (maybe she’ll do this later in the book…hopefully!)

Flip the Fear

I want people to get something out of reading my website

• triggered by getting comments, phone calls, texts, “likes,” verbal affirmations
• thoughts of relating to people, inspiring others, I get a lot out of writing for the website
• feelings of community, bravery, excitement
• actions of improving the site, writing better, opening up more, connecting with more bloggers and friends

Now I can look at these two lists and CHOOSE. Which one sounds better to you for framing your day?

Try this exercise and see what you think! Would you be willing to share?