Face Your Fear

“All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage” – Matt Damon

We all have fear, you know that little voice in our head that paralyzes us cold. The little nudge that tells us we aren’t good enough, smart enough or pretty enough. That nasty fear is the biggest culprit to depression. Studies show that people who listen to that voice more often, are less happy and less successful than those who choose to bust through their fear.

As we start 2012, it’s time for a new year, new you. This can be the year that you get everything that you want. But it starts with getting clear about what is stopping you from reaching your goals.

Focus on What You Want

The first step is to get clear about what you want. For example, if you hate your job, but don’t know what else you would do, then ask yourself what do you value in life?

Making a value list will help you see what is most important to you. For instance. I hated my job in corporate marketing, but I loved being creative and expressing myself. I also loved traveling. By recognizing that I valued being creative and traveling I was able to see that travel writing would be a better fit for me.

I finally got up enough courage to leave advertising and pursue my new career as a travel writer. But before I could bust through my fear of the unknown I had to get clear about what I wanted.

Here is a list of the most common fears and how you can bust through them.

Being Disliked

If you worry about what other people are thinking and if they like you or not, ask yourself if you really like them? Sometimes we try to gain approval from others but we don’t even like that other person. Remember, you can’t please everyone all the time. Even Mother Teresa had haters.

Making the First Move

Is it traditional for the man to ask the woman on a date or are the ladies just scared cats, afraid of rejection? Men have been asking women out forever, it is time to bust through your fear and step into powerful courageous you. Many men find assertive women to be attractive and super sexy. And if the person you are chatting with isn’t interested at least you get to meet a new person and face your fear.

Getting Older

Many people dread finding their first gray hair. That strand that pops up with a silver reflection. Gasp, you think, “I am getting old.” Men tend to get more handsome with age, and the silver hair makes them distinguished. But society has forced women to look at gray hair as a welcome to ‘Old Maid Ville.’ The trick is to learn to be comfortable in your own skin and embrace the gray hair. It is part of you and makes you unique. Plus you can always color your hair. But the real value is learning to love yourself and all aging parts.

Going to the Dentist

If you are afraid of visiting the dentist the thought of going can feel life threatening. People who fear the dentist will avoid going even if they are in server pain. The first step to overcoming this fear, is to ask yourself where does it come from? Perhaps there was a traumatic experience in the past. If this is the case realize that you are taking a situation from the past and playing it out in the future. Therefore it is not real. Ask your friends and family to refer a good dentist to you and talk to your dentist about your concerns. They are there to help you. The Dentist and staff have your best interest in mind. For more health tips on how to face your dental fears visit Dr. Samani, at Tualatin Dental Care, a dentist in Tigard Oregon.