Walking through the wall of fear

Fear wears many faces for all of us, and it can mean very different things from one person to another.

by Sandy Jones — 

When you think about fear, what comes to mind? Jumping out of the way of an oncoming train? Walking down a dark alley at night, or a very bumpy ride in an airplane? What about the kind of fear that stops you from calling about that job you saw advertised in the paper? Or the fear of stepping out of your comfort zone to try something new?

Fear wears many faces for all of us, and it can mean very different things from one person to another. The kind of fear we’re discussing here is the one that stops you from stepping into your greatness: fear of change, uncertainty and the unknown. We all experience it at one point or another. But can we learn to walk through it? Are you willing to walk through the wall of fear?

The book, The Dream Giver, by Bruce Wilkinson, is about a person named Ordinary who lives in the land of Familiar. One day, Ordinary wakes up with a big dream beating in his heart. But in order for Ordinary to achieve the big dream, he must leave the land of Familiar, his comfort zone, to face many challenges. The biggest one comes immediately after leaving his comfort zone — it is called the “wall of fear.” The amazing thing about this wall of fear is that it is an illusion. It is smoke and mirrors, placed there by the ego to hold you back. It’s a trap.

In my experience, I have stopped short of walking through the wall of fear. I have even run away from it, rather than face it. But more recently, as I’ve stepped deeper into my spiritual journey, I have come to know this wall of fear very well. During the summer, I had the opportunity to face the wall several times over a two-month period, as I stepped out of my comfort zone to create a new business.

Each time, I looked at this wall with both dread and anticipation. But I knew deep within my heart that in order to get to the next step in my success, I had to face the fear head-on and walk through it. It was not easy, but I am here to tell you, it can be done. Conquering the wall of fear takes willingness, tenacity and a conscious view of your thoughts, and how they translate into your actions.

If you are someone who starts to face your fear, then stops short of your hopes and dreams because of the fear, take a moment to seriously consider the fear. Is it real? Ask yourself this compelling question: What am I afraid of? Then listen to the answer.

Remember, you are in charge of your life. You create your thoughts, and you also create your fears. Most importantly, though, it is you who can walk through the wall of fear.

Sandy Jones worked as a designer, teacher, software specialist and entrepreneur in the tech industry for 25 years. She recently created Soul Motivations, a ministry devoted to helping people remember. 480-491-2464 or [email protected].

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 25, Number 1, February/March 2006.