Fear

Four little letters, but an emotion that plays havoc on so many of us.
Have you ever really sat and thought about how much “Fear” has impacted your life. For those who have experienced going through “The Creative Theory of Life Recovery”, they are always surprised to learn the true impact fear has had in not achieving dreams. Some even fear success!
Below is an exert from a coaching lesson that is worth reading. At both Coached To Success and Hope & Serenity, we work with clients on their fears. Have you looked at yours?
When a client expresses fears, it's tempting to follow them down the rabbit hole and get lost in the useless world of what ifs. If we do, a little stuck-ness may blossom into a full-blown nightmare.
Keep in mind that fear is:
1. A normal response to personal growth.
2. Generally, nothing to be afraid of.
3. A gateway into meaningful change.
For example, here are some of the garden-variety fears that arise for a new coach:
- What if I'm not a good coach?
- What if I can't make money as a coach?
- I'm afraid to set profitable fees.
- I'm afraid to market my services because I might be rejected.
- If I limit myself to one target market, I'll reduce my chances of getting clients.
While these fears are normal, they are scarcity-based thoughts. If they are given credence they can put an end to even the most well laid plans.
So, how do we coach fear? We don't. Instead, use this approach:
1. Acknowledge the client's fears with a brief compassionate comment: I know it can be scary to go after what you most want.
2. Invite them to shift from scarcity to prosperity-based thoughts. What lead you to become a coach?
3. Support them to execute specific steps that will incrementally move them toward their goals.
4. Offer tools to manage their fears. Consider keeping a journal of your fears. Next to each fear write down the action you've taken, despite the fear.
As we coach ourselves to success, so too can we coach our clients to feel the fear but do it anyway. Coaching is always about supporting the client to the high road, their highest good, and their greatest selves.
Are you ready to experience coaching? A free introductory session is available through www.hopeserenity.ca .
Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
- Marianne Williamson, "Return to Love"