Telling yourself not to worry or to be unafraid during stressful times is unproductive and invalidating. Fear sometimes acts as a motivator, and as a red flag as it's natural to be fearful when there’s a threat to your safety or life. Fear serves a purpose - it keeps you surviving. While survival is obviously important, people are not meant to live in an ongoing state of surviving. In fact, sustained health, personal power, and outward influence most optimally arises from a state of thriving.
“Fear is the singular greatest barrier we must overcome to thrive and rise in our lives. However, fear also serves a crucial purpose.” states Forbes contributor, Dr. Margie Warrell. Fear and stress activate the biological survival response which creates heightened anxiety as a tool for responding to the perceived threat. The innate fear response is designed to be temporary, however when it runs the show for too long it begins to work against you.
Ongoing fear, stress, and anxiety create layers of unwanted physiological and psychological disruptions that often lead to overall depletion, as well as serious physical and mental health issues. So, it's vital for your fear and control to stay in the back seat while your trust and power drive you forward. The good news is fear doesn't have to rule your world. More about the impact of ‘fear’ and ‘stress’, and how to live beyond them in Thursday’s Catalyst Conversation.
With Grace, Kimble
P.S. Thursday's Catalyst Conversation will dive into the substance of the ‘fear response’ and how to shift from surviving to thriving.
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