Fear is an emotional response to a threat. This is a key survival mechanism that humans and other creatures use to protect themselves. But fear is even deeper than that. It’s anxiety. It’s a self-belief that you’re not good enough or too afraid of the outcome, so you don’t even try.

Is Fear Holding You Back?

This kind of fear holds you back. You end up becoming stagnant. You become stuck. You become stuck in a way of living your life that does not serve you or align you to your highest truth.

I had a friend who lived in constant fear. Whether she met a new person or a new opportunity cropped up, she assumed things wouldn’t work out. Why? Because she inherently believed great things couldn’t happen to her.

Related: My Friend Wrote Letters of Forgiveness to Everyone in Her Past

When You Live in Fear, You Don’t Give Yourself A Chance

My friend wanted to become a lawyer, but she would need to take the LSAT exam for admission into law schools.

I asked her after a couple months about how her LSAT exam went. She told me she never took it. I was flabbergasted! I asked her why. She wasn’t sure if she’d score well, so she never took the exam.

She was so absorbed in her fear of not doing well that she didn’t even take the exam!

You don’t even allow yourself a chance to shine. You play it safe because there is no chance of things not working out if you don’t even attempt. But the only way to own your journey and live big is by showing up fully and taking that step, despite your fear.

What has been your experience with your fears? Please share with me in the comments.