Eeeek!

Written by: Kirsten Frey; Transitions Life Coaching

 

You know what scares me?

Snakes.

I know, I know, snakes help maintain the balance of the ecosystem and are a natural form of pest control.

Whatever!

They freak me out. I think it’s the way they move, all slithery-like. Not a word, I know, but how else to describe it? Buahhh, even thinking about snakes as I type this is giving me the heebie-jeebies. My son used to get a kick out my natural aversion to snakes and would find joy in telling me when we had a snake in our garden, or when there was an animal show featuring snakes on television. I can see his point. It’s got to be more than a little funny when normally confident Mom squeals, averts her eyes, or flees the room every time a snake shows up.

Fear of things that can hurt us is natural. It’s a survival mechanism.

In policing I learned to face that fear and do it anyway. It’s the job to go to the situations and calls that most people would run from, in an effort to bring order to chaos. You learn to utilize all the knowledge, tools, and skills you have, rely on your back-up, take a stand when you need to, and be flexible when you can.

But fear is also what our ego-mind uses to keep us safe…and small. A way to protect us but also a way of keeping us from growing into a greater, expanded version of our amazing selves.

Facing this fear is challenging because our mind is a powerful tool and what we focus on, expands. So if we constantly think thoughts filled with fear, doubt and worry, our body is going to react with the corresponding feelings. These feelings create more of the same thoughts, which create more of the same feelings and before we know it, we’re down the rabbit hole!

I have run into this fear many, many times. It shows up every time I have had a significant transition or change in my life. As a single mom of a baby boy, I was afraid of all the variety of ways I was making mistakes and ‘screwing up’ my son.

I was afraid when I decided to leave policing and become a personal trainer and nutritionist. I knew why I wanted…no, needed to make this change but it was a scary move because I was stepping into a new, unknown space. A career that inspired me and I was excited about, but one that would have an impact on our family’s finances, where I would have to build a reputation in an industry where I was a newcomer.

And I was afraid again when I chose to leave that amazing, successful experience to follow my inner guidance that was calling me to something…more. This was an even bigger leap. No more safety net of a bi-weekly paycheque. I’m doing things and asking for things I’ve never done and asked for before. I’m learning and growing, connecting with others in a completely different way. I am making mistakes and adapting. I’m discovering more tools for my toolbox! I’m showing up for myself in a more authentic and honest way. Catching myself more quickly when I step off my aligned path.

And what’s so fabulous about all of this is no matter what the changes I’ve experienced, the lessons I learned way back at the beginning of my career have stood the test of time. Utilize all the knowledge, tools, and skills I have, ask others for backup when I need it, take a stand when I need to, and be flexible as often as I can.

Feel the fear and do it anyway🌟