REBEKAH FENSOME

Susan, a client of mine, came to me because she needed help overcoming her fears and anxieties about leaving her job and striking out on her own.

The trouble was, rationally, she knew the move made complete sense, but an inner voice—led by fear—kept urging her against doing it. “It’s really odd,” she would lament. “I feel really excited and confident about this decision, but then also so worried that I’m going to fail.”

I helped Susan to develop techniques for overcoming her hesitation, so she could move on with her decision with confidence. If you’re wrestling with similar issues, try working through these steps:

1. Stand Back

Often we find it hard to get a true perspective on our own situations. And, as a result, we get caught in vicious cycles of negative thinking, which only increases our irrational fears. Try and stand back from your situation, draw breath and then think about it. Being calm helps you to approach things more clearly.

2. What’s The Worst That Could Happen?

Understand and write down all the things that could go wrong and then create a plan to overcome these problems. Feeling prepared and acknowledging your fears will increase your confidence, as you’re taking control and tackling the concerns before they arise.

3. Positive Reframe

Try to understand your situation from a positive point of view. Think about what all the benefits will be and concentrate on those and how they will change your life in an empowering way.

4. Excitement and Fear Feel The Same

Excitement and fear can physically feel the same thanks to adrenalin rushes, so—when you feel those physical anxiety triggers—reinterpret those as feelings of enthusiasm instead and use them to motivate you to keep pushing your decision forward.

5. Visualization

Envision what your life is going to look like once you’ve made this change. Draw it up on a big piece of paper and stick it on a wall you look at every day. Get excited about what could be and use this to help motivate you to keep pushing forward positively.

6. Support Structure

Create an effective support system around you. Bring people into your life who will help inspire you and drive you forward rather than “scaremongers” who constantly point out potential negatives. Ideas and decisions need to breath, be nurtured and then be given life.