Nervous. Worried. Afraid. Anxious. Fearful.
When was the last time you used any of these words to express how you were feeling? Last year? Last week? Today? A second ago?
How did your body feel? Was your heart racing? Did you have trouble breathing? Feel panicked? Tense? Exhausted? Experience racing thoughts?
These are some of the physical reactions, also known as 'body signals' or 'warning signs' that accompany feelings related to anxiety and fear. Yet, the calling is to "Do It Afraid".
It takes guts to lean in to the fear, and not run away from it.
There is power in acknowledging the fear AND deciding to do it anyway.
When you go through that panic episode and you come out of it exhausted, guess what? You came out of it! What you feared would last for eternity, only lasted for a few seconds in reality. You got through it. Celebrate that! Learn how to do it again. To do it afraid.
When you feel anxious, you can gain control: Take slow deep breaths, Relax your body, and you may also choose to say: Yes, I feel afraid AND I will do it anyway.