I want you to ask yourself the following question…“What’s stopping me from taking a chance?” Think about your tangible goals, asking for a promotion, a complete career change or chasing your dreams. What is stopping you from taking a risk to try something new? The answer is quite common, and it begins with a big ol’ ‘F’…Fear.

Fear is a valid emotion, but it’s not effective for our mind and body. What I mean by this is, we all experience fear as a common human emotion, but this emotion isn’t benefitting our overall well-being. Fear can feel paralyzing, overwhelming and can lead toward anxious attachment and negative habits. Fear and anxiety work hand-in-hand, making us feel like we’re being shielded and protected from the unknown; however, fear and anxiety have the opposite effect of protection. Fear and anxiety leave us feeling stuck, numb and scared of things beyond our control.

What if I were to tell you that you can break free from the control fear has on your life? When we move past fear, we allow ourselves to go from feeling stuck and miserable to feeling present, calm and free. Being someone who lives with generalized anxiety disorder and OCD, I know how paralyzing fear can feel in the body and mind. Moving past fear and shifting our focus on what we can control in the moment will help us to reframe our mindset, shatter limiting beliefs and self-doubt and reclaim our power.

Coming to terms with this will allow you to understand that fear and anxiety does not serve you or protect you. You are in control of your thoughts, feelings, decisions and actions. Shifting your focus on what you can control in this moment instead of being held captive by anxiety and fear will allow you to feel more confident and empowered.

So if you question when is the right time to make a change or do something new for you, revisit this blog post. Navigate through the internal assessment of how you’re feeling in this exact moment, prior to taking action. Have you pushed off your dreams because you feel comfortable where you are currently? Do you tell yourself that you’re exactly where you are ‘meant to be’? Or, are you staying put because you believe it’s what other people want for you, and you don’t want to disappoint them? All of these questions stem from fear and anxiety. If you’re experiencing this, remind yourself that you are okay, you are safe and you are fully capable of taking a chance on yourself. No one will advocate for you like you can!

If you need a little help navigating through taking a chance on something new or a life change, use the following journal questions to spark self-discovery and personal growth:

“What if I let my dreams come true?”

“What if the life I want is waiting for me beyond my comfort zone?”

“What if I already have what it takes to start?”

“What part of my story am I ready to write today?”