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*What is Fear? Actor Gary Busey has a very interesting definition. He defines Fear as:
F False
E Evidence
A Appearing
R Real
Webster’s dictionary defines fear as, an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight). My personal definition is not gathering all the information on a subject and making assumptions on an outcome.
Webster, Gary and myself all have different definitions. Whatever your personal definition of fear is, your meaning for the definition will vary. Your personal definition will inevitably be based on where you are from, how you grew up, and what your current environment is. One thing that is certain, is that fear definitely affects how you organize your day?
Fear can motivate you to do one of three things:
1.Move
2.Take action, or
3.Make you stand still?
Ask yourself what category do you fall in? Do you react to a stressful situation? Are you proactive, before a difficult situation? When new challenges or obstacles present themselves what do you do? Do you panic and feel overwhelmed? Do you lash out at others? Or do you do absolutely nothing?
I can identify with both. This article is from personal experience. Recently I found myself trying to manage so many things that one day I did absolutely nothing. I was overwhelmed with life, and personal goals for myself, that I was immobilized. Then my mentor told me that stressful situations are nothing more than a “TO DO LIST”. It sounds so simple, but it was so profound. Stressing out about a potential situation did absolutely nothing to solve my problem. But making a simple to do list gives you a sense of accomplishment and helps you to organize each specific goal.
You are probably wondering what this has to do with health and fitness. When you begin a new fitness program, or change your eating habits, how you respond to fear will determine your success or failure.
If you are afraid of change, consistent workouts or changing your eating habits can immobilize you. . If you have a fear of success, you may fear that if you loose weight and change your eating habits, you will have to be consistent and focused to maintain your new lifestyle. The perpetual thought of consistent workouts scare you, so you stay exactly how you are, STILL.
How do you break the cycle of fear? First you have to identify the issue. You have to hear your inner dialogue. What do you tell yourself? What are your deepest thoughts and opinions on how you feel about changing your life? Are you afraid of success or failure?
If you fear success, give yourself permission to fail. No one is perfect. Set realistic attainable small weekly goals. For example if you hate working out and you hate going to the gym, signing up with a trainer for 4 days a week is not realistic for you. For an individual who hates working out in the gym, a realistic goal for you is to try walking 15 minutes a day twice a week. Know that in order to succeed, health and fitness goals is a journey not a destination.
If you fear failure, this is often disguised as a perfectionist. Because you can’t be perfect you procrastinate. Procrastination is an assassination to your destination. Instead of procrastinating, decide to make a calculated move. Make a list of pros and cons. What happens if you continue with your current behavior? Give yourself a deadline to complete your task and reward yourself for the small steps. Fight your fear every step of the way, don’t let it immobilize you, be proactive and face your fear head on with preparation, and discipline.
Madison Chase is a certified personal life fitness and health coach. Her background in fitness began with classical ballet at Julliard, School of American Ballet, Houston Ballet, and Fort Worth Ballet. She has a marketing degree from the University of Oklahoma and many personal training certifications, and is currently working on her Masters in Kinesiology with a focus on Sports Psychology. This former NBC Fitness Expert and 3- Time ESPN fitness champion has worked with some of the best in the business. Her clients include celebrities from Jada and Will Smith hit show “All of US,” and professional athletes with many NFL teams including the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. She currently resides in Los Angeles and believes that everyday you should strive to be your best. For additional information on Madison, you may visit: www.madisonchasefitness.com