Written by: Maryann Rivera-Dannert, MSL, CLC, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Affectionately known as the Fearless Living Coach, I’m sometimes asked if I have any fears? Here’s the thing, being fearless does not mean we are without fear. We are a part of this phenomenon called humanity. Everyone has fears: without fear, there would be no growth. Fear challenges us to step out of our comfort zones and to do it anyways. You may be afraid of flying, but you need to get on the plane anyway, especially if you are relocating for a job, desire to see the world, or need to visit friends and family across the country. You may be afraid of public speaking, but you know your story can make an impact on thousands, if not millions of people, so you grab a hold of the mic and share your story anyways. You may be afraid of heights, but your inner adventurous child wants to zip-line through the jungles of Mexico, and so you do it anyway.
Fear also serves to protect us. Your risk-taking side takes you through a hike in a park, you hear a noise – leaves ruffling and branches breaking. There is the culprit – a bear. Your heart starts pumping and you are sure it’s going to come out of your chest, sweat starts forming, and you panic. Do you run, scream, stand still? All these little signs alert you that something is wrong. Fear can protect us and send a surge of adrenaline to keep us safe.
The more we come face to face with fear, and do that thing anyway, the easier that thing will become. We slowly shut down that inner critic and its voice, and we step into our beautiful truth. We start creating a new story for ourselves: a story of resilience, determination, and power. As we confront our fear, we are able to understand its origin and we are able to have a conversation with said fear. As we do this, we thank fear for its protection and we say goodbye to it, as it has served its purpose.
We need to invite fear in and learn where it comes from. Below are six steps to understanding and overcoming fear:
The origin of fear
Understanding fear
Accepting our fear
Leveraging our fear
Rewrite our story
Move forward
In knowing the origin of fear, we learn where the fear came from. There are three questions to guide us in this step:
Was the fear passed down to us from those that raised?
Was the fear manifested out of something that actually occurred to us?
Was the fear programmed into our subconscious because of stories we have heard or something we’ve watched on tv?
When it comes to understanding fear, here are three questions to help move us forward:
What is my earliest memory of this fear?
What stories am I telling myself about this fear?
What is fear protecting me from/what am I truly afraid of?
When we accept our fear, we are able to learn from it and move into creating the life we desire. Three questions to reflect on:
Is what I am fearful of based on something that actually happened to me, passed down to me or created from external forces?
If the fear was created from an actual occurrence, have I sought out professional help from a trained medical professional?
Why am I still holding on to this fear?
In regards to leveraging our fear, we have a choice to make. While there may be things out of our control, we have the power within us to decide how we are going to move forward. Here are three ways:
We can learn from our fear
We can allow fear to continue to keep us stuck
We can use fear to fuel our passion
By now you should have a clearer understanding of fear and how it relates to you personally. No matter what has happened, you can use fear to rewrite your story. For so long you have been stuck and not living the life you desired. That changes today and here are three questions to start the process:
What am I ready to release?
What have I stopped doing because of fear?
What do I want to accomplish in the next 30 days?
The last step is one you will continue to revisit; it is time to move forward.
Do I need to seek the guidance of a medical professional for unhealed trauma?
Do I need to hire a Life Coach to help me get unstuck?
What do I need to do today to change the trajectory of my life?
If you have enjoyed this article, I invite you to take action and continue the journey in becoming fearless. I have a course that takes you deeper into the work. It is for the person that has been holding on to something and that thing is eating away at you from the inside out. It may be a secret, it may be a hurt, whatever the “it” is, it keeps you up at night tossing and turning. Change is here! To access the course click here.
If this article made you pause and think and you would like more content like this, let’s connect via Instagram, Facebook, Website, LinkedIn. If you are ready to silence your insecurities, build healthy boundaries and live your best life, book a complimentary discovery call with me.
Remember, you are Fearless and Fabulous, you are a priority, and you matter!
Maryann Rivera-Dannert, MSL, CLC, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Affectionately referred to as the Fearless Living Coach, Maryann Rivera-Dannert is the FEAR-less dealer every woman needs in her corner.
The Fearless Living Coach learned early on how to be what she would later become. Striving to be better than what life handed her, the conquering spirit within arose and gave her the courage and realization she needed to recognize her unique value as a woman. With a background filled with adversity, instability, and dysfunction, Maryann had much stacked against her. Yet, she didn’t allow what happened in her formative years stop her from becoming who she is today.
Maryann is a certified life coach who holds an MS in Leadership and a BS in Organizational Management. She is a 5x published author and 3x best-selling author. She has been featured in various publications and Maryann is also the host and creator of the Fearless Fridays with Maryann podcast which seeks to empower and transform women to living their best life, today.
