Thinking Will Not Overcome Fear But Action Will!

Sometimes you’re just fed up with being stuck inside behind a desk, in meetings, whatever. You have this great need to clear your head and the only way that is going to happen is when you get outside.

After days of being stuck inside, earlier this week I really needed to clear my head. So I did one of the things I love best: I went mountain hiking.

(Bare with me this does link to making life choices, I promise)

After 4 hours of climbing a steep mountain side I finally reached the top and got to enjoy the view. In the back of my mind though the prospect of having to do a really steep descent was already looming.

Descending steep and narrow trails while looking into valleys far, far below me, is not exactly my thing. At the thought of having to go down this particular trail I could feel fear settling in my stomach.

Yet, it was the only way I was going to get off this mountain. No sense in overthinking it. That wouldn’t make the descent any less steep or narrow. The only thing that made sense was to take action and start down the trail.

IT’S THE SAME THING WITH CHOOSING NEW DIRECTIONS IN LIFE!

It doesn’t matter whether you’re contemplating a life choice that will mean a dramatically new direction or perhaps just want to make some course corrections. When you’re thinking about all the possible consequences it can be easy to become overwhelmed by fear.

The more you think about it, the more fear starts settling in your stomach or wherever else fear resides in your body. Until fear is so omnipresent it becomes hard to think why you were thinking about making life changes in the first place.

However!!

IS FEAR REALLY THE ONLY THING KEEPING YOU FROM ACTING ON THAT LIFE CHOICE YOU’RE CONTEMPLATING? 

Then the best advice I can give you is to stop overthinking it and take action.

Have a plan for where you want to go and then concentrate on one step at the time!

Had I focused on the entire trail, I would have had to call Search & Rescue to get me off that mountain. (Which believe me, since I’m also a certified mountain hiking guide, my friends would never have let me forget)

By focusing on the trail directly in front of me, taking it one step at the time I was able to get where I wanted to go. Stopping every now and again to take my bearings also helped.

SO!

When you want to make scary changes in your life, have a plan and then step onto the trail.

Focus on the part that is immediately in front of you.

Stop every now and again to take your bearings.

That’s how you too will get to where you are going!