Fear is a natural occurrence. Like the pandemic, when bad things happen you are naturally afraid. Losing your job is another thing that may cause fear. The other side of this is good things can trigger fear. Getting married and starting a new job are examples of this. The underlying cause for this generally is the fear of not knowing the certainty of your future.
Fear can happen when you try things that are new. It can also be triggered by doing things outside of your comfort zone. Not believing in yourself can also cause fear.
It doesn’t matter how afraid you are, you have to push through the negativity to start overcoming your fears.
How do you do this? That’s what we are going to talk about today! Let’s get started!
Don’t Be Afraid of Discomfort – Many of the best things in life happen by stepping out of your comfort zone. Staying in that zone isn’t always a good thing. It can hold you back from success and relationships. Stepping out of your comfort zone will allow yourself for self-discovery. You may find out selling your house and going to travel will make you happier than living in that suburbia bubble. So take a chance!
Don’t Be Afraid of What People Think – Do not let what someone thinks to stop you from doing something. You should not care. Do not let someone else’s opinion influence your decisions. Remember everyone is different, and no one is right 100 percent of the time.
Don’t Be Afraid of The Unknown – Trying to do new things can be scary sometimes. The unknowing of wondering how things will work out can sometimes impede your life. You can never tell how things will work out unless you try it. So embrace the unknown and instead of looking at it as the unknown, treat the opportunity as an adventure! Enjoy the journey!
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Plans – The only way to reach a goal is by planning. “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail.” That’s a common phrase used in my field of work. It’s true. One of the top reasons people don’t meet their goals is because they failed to make a plan. The reason they didn’t make a plan is that they were afraid to fail. Make a plan and regardless of what may happen, you will learn. You may have to tweak something to reach the goal, but at least you have a map to reach it.
Don’t Be Afraid of Failure – There is always a chance of failure when you are trying new things. Keep in mind failure isn’t always a bad thing. You learn more by failing than you do by succeeding. This is where you figure out what not to do. That knowledge is invaluable. Knowing what not to do guarantees your success more times than not. Don’t be afraid to fail. Treat it as a learning experience.
Don’t Be Afraid of Your Past Self – Don’t let your past control your present and future. Because you failed something in the past, it doesn’t mean you’ll fail at it in the future. I know it’s frustrating. If you had failed at the same thing multiple times it is easy to throw in the towel. We have all been there. Don’t let those failures stop you. Keep going. Remember to welcome the failure as a learning experience
Don’t Be Afraid to Invest – This is very common. Investing money can be stressful. The hardest part is getting started. Once you start, investing there is a chance you may lose money. If the market takes a dive, don’t be afraid. The initial panic is what causes that. It will always go back up. If you take your money out you will miss out on the chance of the returns. So here is where most people make the biggest mistake. You need to make sure your investments are diversified. Stocks may go down but bonds can increase in value. Remember, don’t be afraid of investing. Great risk yields greater rewards.
Don’t Be Afraid of Your Age – Young or old. It doesn’t matter. You can still have goals. Because your 45 doesn’t mean your life is over. You can still invest. You can still travel. You can still start a business. You can still end up living a rich and happy life.
Don’t Be Afraid to Reach Your Goals – Yeah, it sounds crazy. But, it is true. Some people are actually afraid of reaching their goals. If you set goals, you are more likely to succeed than those who don’t. Remember, without a goal you have zero direction. Make sure to set up goals correctly. This will keep you from being afraid to complete them. You can use different resources to help streamline the process. Google SMART Goals. This is how I set up my goals.
Don’t Be Afraid to Have a Budget – Almost 60% of American households do not have a budget. Everyone needs a budget. I know it can be a daunting task. Don’t be afraid of it. Embrace it. The reason for the budget is this. This is to help you work towards your financial goals. This could help you pay off your debt. It can also be used for something like helping to factor in planning for a trip or getting a new car. You will want to balance your expenses with your income. The end goal here is to make sure your income is more than your expenses. Don’t be afraid of the numbers, This could save your life.
Don’t Be Afraid to Talk About Money – This is a big fear a lot of us have. I mean the topic can be taboo. Being able to talk to someone about this is great stress relief. If you need help with finances find someone to help you. It could be your parents or best friend. Is your wife good at these things? I would suggest if you can afford one to get a financial advisor. This way you can keep the convos private and still get the end result.
Don’t Be Afraid of Hard Work – Unless you are an heir to a fortune you are not going to get rich from sitting around. You can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! I know it’s not fun, but you may have to get a second job to help catch up on bills. It may be a job to help with your retirement savings. It could be to get debt-free. You may have to work long hours.Because you may have to work long hours and exhaust yourself, doesn’t mean to give up. Don’t be afraid to work hard. It will help you meet your goals in the long run.
Don’t Be Afraid of Your Debt – We are all going to have some debt. Whether it is good or bad, you owe someone money. The end is you are going to need to pay it off regardless. So don’t be afraid of trying to tackle this. It may take a year or 6 depending on how much you owe. So the first thing you need to do is go to a place like CreditKarma.com. They will have a list of all your debtors and how much you owe. So add that all up. There are a couple of ways to go about doing this. First is you can save up and pay one off in total. Always start with the lowest one. Because it’s less doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the same effect on your score. The second way is to call up one or all of your debtors and work out a payment plan. You’d be surprised about how much they are willing to work with you. Their companies just want their money. You can set up payments for $25-50 dollars minimum. Like my grandmother once said, “You can not milk blood from a turnip.” Don’t be afraid to deal with your debt. It may take a while, but you will have to deal with it sooner than later.
Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate – This is a skill I had a hard time with. It’s something common that people are afraid to do. The most common causes are being shy, feeling cheap, not knowing how, or are afraid to cause an argument and lose the deal. Negotiations can save you a ton of money monthly Like I was talking about, you can negotiate with your creditors. This applies to a ton of different types of buying. Job offers are a big one. Know your worth. Companies like to low ball you to save their money. You can always negotiate a salary. You can negotiate your cell phone and cable bills. You can get them lowered by downgrading packages. You can even threaten to leave for a competitor. They will lower your bill tremendously. The same goes with your cell phone bill. Buying a vehicle or home is another example. You can always negotiate a lower price which will lower your monthly payments. So as you can see, never be afraid to negotiate. It can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Don’t Be Afraid of Taking Risks – This is the final and the most important one. This is the main thing. High risk equals high reward. Think about gambling. You put a large bet down and that gets your heart pumping. This could mean the difference between success and mediocrity. Sometimes you have to take a risk. It could be an investment. It could be quitting your job to start your own business. There are plenty of risks to take. I have been there. It can be overwhelming and stressful, but the end result is satisfying. You could be free. You could be happy. Sometimes you have to take a chance.
There you go. I hope this helps you and makes your life less stressful. Crunch some numbers, call some debtors, and start organizing your life. ‘Till next time!
