4005: How to Follow Your Heart Even Though You're Scared by Irene Elias of Self Love Junkie on Facing Fear

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[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_02] This is Optimal Living Daily. How to Follow Your Heart Even Though Youre Scared by Irene Elias of SelfLoveJunkie.com. And I'm Justin Malik. Now let's get right to it as we optimize your life. How to Follow Your Heart Even Though You're Scared by Irene Elias of SelfLoveJunkie.com. You finally decided to follow your heart and get started on creating the life that you've always wanted.

[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_02] But at the same time, you're afraid. You don't think you're courageous or confident enough to go all the way. How do you follow your heart even though you're scared? Perhaps you're considering leaving a relationship, but you fear being lonely. You're single and want to go out into the dating world, but afraid of getting hurt again. You want to leave your draining job, but afraid you won't be able to make a living doing what you love. You want to move to another city, but afraid of not having a support system.

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_02] We all reach certain points in our life where our soul gives us a nudge, or in some cases a shove, because the life that we're living on the outside does not match our desires on the inside. Even though we may feel excited to make these changes, fear tends to interfere with the whispers of our soul and keeps us in our comfort zone. Stepping into the unknown can be scary, but what's scarier is living with regrets and fighting with the what-ifs. When we decide to make a change, we don't usually think about the good things that can happen.

[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_02] Instead, we tend to place most of our focus on what could go wrong. And so we visualize scenarios of failure and disappointment, and come to a conclusion that maybe we're just not ready, or it's just best to stay safe. Most of the fear you feel is only a story that you've made up in your mind. This is a result of you not placing enough trust in yourself. If you can focus on as much passion with what can go wrong, you can also visualize with as much passion with what can go right.

[00:02:41] [SPEAKER_02] So how might you feel if you did follow your heart? Visualize all the things that you like to go right. How does that feel? Now, what is the worst thing that can happen if you don't succeed? And is this going to be the end of the world? Understand, things may not turn out perfect, and you need to be okay with that. If things don't turn out the way you want them to, and you get disappointed, ask yourself, what did I learn from this experience? What will I do differently next time? If you learn something, then you haven't failed, you have won.

[00:03:09] [SPEAKER_02] Those who learn the most, succeed the most. Be empowered and turn your disappointments into learning opportunities. This technique does take practice, but the more you practice visualizing a positive outcome and having a mindset that failure is an opportunity for growth, then you'll find it easier to move through your fears with more confidence and excitement. Here are four steps to help you follow your heart. Number one, become aware.

[00:03:36] [SPEAKER_02] Whatever you fear most in your life right now, go there first. This is where your soul is calling you to go forth for your personal transformation. Be specific and get to know what your fear is all about. Face your fear head on, and don't be afraid of it. Once you become specific with your fear, ask yourself, what would I like to happen? You want to bring your fear out of the darkness and into the light. Once you've recognized your main fear, call upon your spiritual support system

[00:04:02] [SPEAKER_02] to help you release these blocks and transmute them into courage and confidence. Number two, journal. Journaling is a great way to process fear and kick anxiety out of your body, which stems from the mind. There's some magic when your pen hits the paper. It's like your spirit and mind become one. By simply writing out your fears, you will feel better. If you don't like to write it out, you can also type it out on your computer or phone in your notes. The point is to move these thoughts out of your body

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_02] and replace them with empowering and uplifting ones. Number three, express. Talk through your fears, either with a trusted friend or partner, or seek professional help from a therapist or a coach that can help you. By stating your fears out loud to someone, you'll feel so much better as they no longer have power over you. You will then feel empowered to shift your focus off of what you don't want and more toward what you do want. As the saying goes, energy flows where attention goes.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_02] So place your attention on what you want your life to look like. Number four, act. Once you have faced your fears and have an understanding, take one small action towards where your soul is calling you to go forth and do this daily. When you take consistent action toward your goals, your fear begins to subside and action will help you build confidence. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, you gain strength, courage, and confidence

[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_02] by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. And she was right. So embrace your fears and act anyway. Fear reminders. It's okay to feel fear, but don't make it a part of your identity. Your fear is a bird that arrives during times of change to pass on the message that you're here to evolve. Failure does not equate to losing. It's a step into strength and wisdom. Taking a chance on your heart's desires

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_02] is better than living in regret or not trying at all. Place your focus mostly on what can go right. Become best friends with the voice of your soul rather than the voice of your fear. Understand that everything may not turn out perfect and be okay with that. Be a visionary and extract golden nuggets from your failures to make them work in your favor. And fear is only a story you've made up in your mind. You have the choice to choose a story that empowers you instead.

[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_02] You just listened to the post titled, How to Follow Your Heart Even Though You're Scared by Irene Elias of selflovejunkie.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Before we start, I wanna share a super powerful practice I use called NSDR or non-sleep deep rest. In just about 10 minutes or so, this yoga nidra practice leaves you feeling as refreshed as after a nap without actually sleeping. Experience it for yourself on our guided podcast.

[00:06:56] [SPEAKER_02] Search NSDR and look for the one from Optimal Living Daily. Thank you, Irene. I think the line that stuck with me most was, most of the fear you feel is only a story you've made up in your mind. And I like the reframe. Instead of just asking, what if it goes wrong? Asking, what if it goes right? Most of us never visualize the positive outcomes with as much energy as we put into the negative ones.

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_02] And yet, the positive outcomes are probably just as likely. Her four steps are practical too, but the one that jumps out to me is just taking one small action toward whatever scares you. Because action is what builds confidence. It's also how exposure therapy works. It's not about thinking about it more. It's not about preparing more. Definitely not waiting until the fear goes away. That doesn't happen.

[00:07:52] [SPEAKER_02] It's the confidence that comes after doing it. It's almost backwards from how we expect it to work. You don't become confident and then take action. You take action and then the confidence starts to build. So if there's something you've been holding back on, maybe look for one small step you could take today. Just one baby step and go from there. So hopefully you found value in this one. I know I did. And with that, thank you for being here and listening every day.

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_02] Have a great rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.