Dealing with Visceral Fears

Do you have any visceral fears? Mine is heights. I don’t know why, but it must be in my DNA. I don’t recall any traumatic incidents or being afraid of heights in my childhood but there it is. I know intellectually that I will not fall but my body has a mind of its own. Even with the proper mindset and a deep breath to remain calm as I peered over the edge of Ross Dam in the North Cascades, my heart quickened, my legs shook and I started to sweat. I peered over long enough to take a good look and this picture but quickly retreated to the safety of the center of the bridge.

It is hard when we have a fear. If you’ve been following me, you know how voice was always a huge fear of mine, stemming from a traumatic incident in childhood. When I speak, to this day, my body’s fear response will get triggered out of nowhere. I learned that the key is not to fight it but to welcome it in and to know deep in my gut that I want my voice to be heard more than I want my fear. Now fear is the thing that helps me have energetic impact when I speak. It is my fuel. ⠀⠀⠀

Someone recently said to me that you can’t just reframe fear and anxiety and then just be able to do better. It’s important that we have safe spaces to practice the reframe, to practice welcoming fear in and to feel supported in doing so. ⠀⠀

It’s okay if you can’t take big leaps. But what you can do is work on one small fear, taking small steps in a safe space and you’ll soon find the courage to work on those bigger ones. Remember, you can’t have courage if you don’t have fear. You just have to make the choice to want something more than fear because you are greater than your fear.