Do you ever find yourself in life, thinking about a new future? You have these goals, desires, and dreams. But when it comes down to crunch time, you have too much fear, and you experience the fear of change.
You feel like being in your comfort zone is the safest place to be, and it stops you from taking action. This inactivity builds up over time and begins to frustrate you, but you don’t know how to change it.
Today we’re going to dive into this so that you can learn how to overcome the fear of change.
I’ve spoken about fear in the past and will continue to talk about it in the future because it’s such a huge thing that impacts people’s lives.
Watch video version:
Why do we fear change?
Think about the human brain for a moment… It’s thousands of years old.
Your brain is hard-wired to prioritize safety first. It wants to do whatever it can to help you survive and to avoid anything that is deemed as a threat. That’s why it’s entirely reasonable for us to experience fear.
When it comes to change, it involves something new and unknown. Therefore, it could be deemed as unsafe. This unknown creates uncertainty, and then, voila, fear pops right up to make us reconsider.
What to do when you’re scared to make a life change
Accept that it’s okay to feel fear
People don’t go after their dreams and the things that they genuinely want in life because of fear. And before you beat yourself up about it, understand that it’s perfectly normal to fear change. However, if you always act on those fears, it will lead to feelings of anxiety, doubt, worry, and stress.
Read: The long term effects of stress on the body
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek" – Joseph Campbell
It’s the uncertainty around a possible future event that cripples us and stops us from taking action.
Are you too comfortable in your life?
There are times in life where people aren’t necessarily happy, but they are comfortable. Often, this comfort and familiarity overpower the unhappiness in certain situations. This can become very problematic.
A common one is the fear of change in relationships or unhappiness in a job situation. Too much time can be spent in an unhappy place because the comfort of familiarity is viewed as less scary than change.
People get trapped in the internal prison of their minds.
Understanding one of the fundamental laws of life that nothing ever stays the same will set you free
Let nature be your guide here.
We have four seasons each year. And with each one comes a change in temperature, the behavior of plants and trees, and the animals make their yearly adjustments or change of location.
Each year we get a little older. Our skin regenerates consistently. Our desires, experiences, and personalities can also change with time.
Life is an ever-moving journey that never stays the same.
Find comfort and acceptance in this and know that nothing lasts forever. The same is true for the things that you fear a change in your life. Once upon a time, there were things that you do now that you would have been terrified to do.
This acceptance will help you to overcome the fear of change.
Consistently look for ways to push yourself
Focus on building little challenges each day to push yourself slightly out of your comfort zone. Doing so will begin to strengthen the muscle and help you overcome the bigger things.
It may never completely go away, but you will become more familiar and used to the challenge.
A great thing that helped me to develop this inner strength and self-confidence was to work out and challenge myself through fitness consistently.
Read: How Fitness Can Transform Your Life
Learn to believe in yourself
In 2015, I quit my job in England, packed my bags, and got a one-way ticket to Vancouver, BC.
I hired a business mentor and took a shot at living somewhere new.
At the time, I had no idea how I was going to achieve some of my big goals, but I had a strong desire and self-belief. This was something that I had created through a lot of personal development work and inner exploration.
Coaching is an incredible way to help you break through barriers and push to the next level of your life. If you’re serious and ready to take some action, you can apply for a discovery call with me here.
Break through that comfort zone
Many people get to the end of life and realize that they have regrets. One of the most common regrets of the dying, as documented in Bronnie Ware’s book, “The Top 5 Regrets of The Dying”, was that they had wished they’d gone after what they wanted.
Don’t you want to live a life where you’re continually growing and creating new experiences?
Growth requires breaking through barriers. It’s an incredibly pleasant place to be and one that’s worth the effort.
Conclusion
It’s understandable to experience the fear of change, but it doesn’t have to stop you. Dig a little deeper and discover what you truly want in your life. Become curious about your emotions and desires.
Not everything that you fear should be tackled head-on. It’s about finding what resonates with you most at your core. What do you deeply crave in your life? Those are the fears that are worth breaking through.