Fear can work for me?!

I have been digging into a great book titled Play Big by Tara Mohr and I was fascinated by one of the chapters talking about the different kinds of fear. I maybe shouldn’t use the word “fascinated,” because this is something that I have known for quite some time. However, the fascination came from the fact that it is so easy to forget that there is a difference in the type of fear that comes upon and our choices when it arrives.

Tara shares these terms from a rabbi’s teaching which is why the words are Hebrew terms, specifically, Pachad and Yirah. In simple terms Pachad is the fear that comes from projected or imagined things. It is usually an over-reaction to perceived circumstances that may or may not be true. This is the type of fear that stops us in our tracks. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when we absolutely need to listen to this fear. Like when we are being chased by a mountain lion or a scarry person along a trail or a carnival clown with a blood covered knife (sorry for all of you afraid of clowns – couldn’t resist). In any case, there are definitely times to acknowledge and respond to Pachad fear. However, there are times when this Pachad fear rears it’s ugly head and stops us from doing things that are actually good for us.

When you feel Pachad type fear you get that racing in your chest, possibly sweat for no reason, your mind is racing. At that very moment take a couple of deep breaths and really ask yourself some questions (provided it is not a situation similar to anything stated above – if any of those are present just react quickly).

- What is really happening to me right now? Am I in any real danger?

- What is the worst that could happen if I stepped out and did this unknown, new thing? Or what if I talked to that person?

What you are likely to find is that Pachad fear has no authority or right to be in that given situation.The only type of fear that you should “listen” to (when not be chased by a mountain lion), is Yirah. Yirah is “the fear that overcomes us when we suddenly find ourselves in possession of considerably more energy than we are used to, inhabiting a larger space than we are used to inhabiting. It is also the feeling we feel when we are on sacred ground.” As professionals it would be self-defeating to stay in the same place year after year. However, what happens to most of us is that we see something or feel like we should start down a new, bigger path and we feel fear. However, the fear we are feeling is this Yirah fear – this is a good fear. And we need to recognize that it is not the Pachad fear and place it in the appropriate category.

Yirah fear is begging you to come with it – to embrace it and begin the journey down the new path. Stepping into the unknown can be scarry but there is so much good that can come from it. A very well known business speaker Jim Rohn used to say that you should want to become a millionaire not for the money but for who you will become getting there. And listening to Tara’s book made me realize because it is a mastering of how to navigate Yirah fear moments that transforms our ability to adapt, change and embrace growth.

Do you have something that has been nagging you lately? Something big that you are supposed to go do? Take that Yirah fear by the hand and start that walk down the path to uncover that purpose and dream that is inside you. If you have tried to go down the road before and felt like something invisible was holding you back – message me at julie@jewelteam.com or https://www.facebook.com/juliedrake70. We can work through those unconscious blocks that may be preventing you from reaching your destination after you’ve decided to partner with that vision and dream.