Take a minute to think back on your life… How often have you stayed in a job you didn’t like or clung to a failing relationship or lived in a location you didn’t fit in? I know I have! I have held onto friendships that were no longer serving either of us just because I was used to having them around. I stayed in jobs that weren’t a good fit just because they paid me and I wasn’t sure what I would get next. Ah… that comfortable misery!
One of the biggest blocks to success is fear of the unknown. Our subconscious mind which dictates 95% of the actions we take and the beliefs we hold onto, does not like change! To the subconscious mind change = danger. So no wonder many client’s I work with, when given new opportunities in their careers or lives, tend to react with fear rather then joy. It is scary to make changes even if they are changes you have dreamed about and worked for. That uncertainty of moving towards the unknown causes increased anxiety in the brain and decreases activity in the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia acts as a filter for information. It sifts through and decides which information to act on and which to let slide by. Well, as you can imagine, the decrease of activity in the basal ganglia causes us to take very little or no action at all. That’s why when you have a big opportunity that you need to decide on, you often feel frozen.
So, now that you know what’s going on in your brain, what do you do about it? How can you keep this fear of the unknown from causing you to make a “safe” decision and miss a huge success opportunity? Here are a few steps that will help you look at your options calmly and make the right decision for you…
1. If you feel excited by the opportunity when you first hear about it and then you feel uncomfortable or scared it usually means you should seriously consider the change.
2. Take time to calm your mind everyday so you can think clearly.
3. Take baby action steps to research the opportunity or maybe try it out for awhile. Small actions go a long way to calming the mind and helping you decide if this change is right for you.
4. Understand that it’s okay to make a mistake. You will learn from it and can move on.
5. Embrace and enjoy change as it is often what makes us feel most alive!
Have an amazing Monday!
Leanna Fredrich, Mindset Coach, Adv. EFT, Adv. Psych-K
PS: If you would like support as you make changes in your life email me at leanna@amazingmondays.com