FACING THESE 5 FEARS WILL IMPROVE YOUR WORK AND HOME LIFE
The first part of a new year is the perfect time to face the fears you’ve been hiding from. In reality, you'll only succeed once you force yourself to do things that you don't necessarily want to – that make you feel some sort of uneasiness or uncertainty.
So what better time is there than the present to step outside your comfort zone and embrace the following five most commonly feared, yet simple, challenges?
- ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT
As the famous Babe Ruth said, “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” Too often, goals aren’t achieved because people are not willing to ask for the success they want. Don’t let the ever looming ‘what if’ question fog your judgement. Pack up the courage and ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Even if you don’t receive the outcome you were hoping for, at least you know you tried – and will in turn feel better for doing so!
- DELEGATE
If you know how you like things done, it can be scary to let someone else take the reins. At the same time, it’s easy to get overwhelmed if you don’t learn how to delegate. Whether it’s assigning legs of projects out to your internal team or pulling in an external team of expert resources, such as a public relations agency, putting the extra responsibilities into the right hands can add precious time back to your day. And if that doesn’t entice you, think about this Richard Branson quote: “What’s the point of hiring talented team members if you don’t give them the freedom to make the most of the chance you have given them?”
- SAY NO
Are you one of those people who can’t say, “No” to anyone? Well, research shows that the more challenging it is for a person to say no, the more likely they are to experience stress. If you have too many existing commitments on your plate, don’t be afraid to decline new requests or invitations. Learning to exercise this challenge, when necessary, will leave you feeling free and energized for your current obligations.
- TAKE COMPLIMENTS
When given a compliment, kick the knee-jerk reaction to immediately jump to how you didn't measure up or what you could have done better to the side! These reactions can have a negative effect on your self-confidence, future career and even your relationships. Take pride in a job well done and learn to accept compliments – odds are, your confidence will thrive.
- LET GO
As you start to invest in yourself and grow, you will become more aware of the people and things that were previously holding you back. When you let go of what no longer scares you, you’re guaranteed to make room for more productivity, positivity and success.
Once these fears are faced, you’ll not only have the satisfaction of stepping outside your comfort zone and embracing challenges, you’ll find yourself with a bigger, better and stronger team of resources in your back pocket.
