What Is Your Worst Fear?
By Phil Rosenbaum
Do you have a strong fear that is stopping you from doing something you would like to be doing? There are a large variety of things people fear, and they can seriously impede your success and enjoyment of life. Some fears are external in nature; others reside deep within ourselves.
Some of the most common external fears people have may include fear of heights; fear of flying; fear of thunder and lightning; fear of going to the dentist; fear of needles; fear of various creatures such as snakes, mice, dogs, or spiders and insects; claustrophobia or agoraphobia (fear of open spaces); fear of public speaking. In addition, many people have what is called social phobia or Social Anxiety Disorder, where social interactions cause irrational anxiety. All of these can cause a great deal of distress.
There are also other kinds of fears, internal fears, which can greatly hold people back. These fears include things like fear of failure, fear of inadequacy, fear of rejection, fear of change, fear of uncertainty, fear of the unknown, fear of missing out, fear of losing control, fear of being judged, fear of getting hurt, fear of loneliness, fear of loss of freedom, and just an overall fear that something bad will happen.
In 1987, Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., wrote a book called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. In this book, the author states that the biggest fear of all is the fear “I can’t handle it.” It doesn’t matter if the situation is losing a job, getting divorced, the death of a loved one, or a terrible accident, etc. What really matters is whether or not one believes he or she can handle what comes.
Consider some of the more common scenarios. Perhaps you feel you deserve a raise at your job, but you are afraid to ask for it. What are you really fearing: that the boss will say no, or that you won’t be able to handle it? Or perhaps you would like to ask a person out to dinner, but your fear stops you from asking. Again, is it the fear that the person will say no, or that you won’t be able to handle it? There are thousands of times we do not take risks that could make our life so much better.
Imagine if, instead of fearing you couldn’t handle it, you had the belief that whatever happened, you could handle it. Think how any more risks you would be willing to take. Think how different the quality of your life would be. There have been many successful people, be they scientists, doctors, or entrepreneurs, who initially failed, but did not give up. If they had the belief, “I can’t handle it,” they never would have achieved success. The belief “I can’t handle it” may be one of the most crippling beliefs that people carry.
There is hope, however. The belief “I can’t handle it” can be changed. Hypnosis is one of the most effective tools to accomplish that. A certified hypnotist can help you change what you tell yourself.
If you would like to learn more about hypnosis and find out if it could help you, please call Phil Rosenbaum at 248-688-6469. Do not let your internal or external fears stop you from living the good life you deserve.
