Have you ever heard the saying “fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all”? This has been a reoccurring theme for my family the last couple of weeks. There is always a fair amount of anxiety associated with the school year starting again. The kids are excited, but nervous, as they are unsure of their classes and what their day will look like. This is true with most big life events that we navigate. They are exciting and should be some of the best times in our lives, but they are often overshadowed by stress and anxiety. That fear of the unknown takes hold and can lead us on a winding path of what ifs.
Over the years, I have tried to teach of my children the art of thinking through the worst-case scenarios when that fear of the unknown takes over. If you can train your brain to think through what could happen and how you would respond, it helps reduce that stress and anxiety some. I personally don’t enjoy public speaking, but force myself to continue to work on it to move me out of my fear associated with that activity. In my mind the worst-case scenarios in public speaking includes messing up the words or passing out in front of everyone. Well, as long as I read through what I want to talk about a few times I am fine. If I pass out at work, I am surrounded by great people who will hopefully come to my aid. This week, I challenge you to drill down on one thing that you have wanted or needed to do, but you have let fear hold you back. Break it down with the worst-case scenarios and remove the anxiety from the situation, and then go out and tackle that thing head on. I believe in you!
