Breaking Through Fear Barriers   By Jennifer Emrich, C.E.C

How many times have you found yourself wishing your life was better? Maybe you hope for a career that excites you, richer personal relationships, a stronger financial situation or a more fulfilling life. How many times have you dreamed about making a life change, something exciting and challenging only to moments later, list a multitude of reasons that your dream is unattainable?

Now if you are like many of us, you have heard those inner nay-saying voices and just accepted them as fact. But what if you took the time to evaluate the possibilities and allowed your dreams to live for a bit without instantly shutting them down? What if by uncovering what is stopping you from moving forward you could actually create powerful change in your life -- change that allows you to move towards your goals with excitement and confidence? The key is in understanding our fears as well as our motivators.

Below are five questions designed to help you tap into what drives you and what holds you back. Take some time to really think about your answers and write them down, because they can be instrumental in helping you overcome hurdles that keep you from achieving your goals.

1. What is one goal that you have always wanted to accomplish but never have?
2. How would your life be positively impacted if you made that goal a reality?
3. What would be the downsides of not achieving your goal?
4. What are the benefits of staying exactly where you are?
5. What are the downsides of achieving your goal?

The last two questions are the most difficult because they really require some soul searching. These questions give you the best understanding of why you don't take action because they uncover what you are getting and what you are avoiding by keeping the status quo. Look at question number four.let's say for example your goal is to take more time for yourself. What could be some benefits of not having more "me" time? Sounds like a trick question, after all who wouldn't want more personal time? But when you really dig in you can see that there are always payoffs to our actions. One benefit might be that by taking less time for yourself, you have more time to tend to everyone else and you place a high value on that. Another benefit might be that you use work as an escape to avoid dealing with bigger life issues that may be looming. Free time takes away the excuses and may make you face some larger concerns. So some might say a benefit is less stress. Not exactly what anyone would envision as a benefit to less personal time, but for many that is a payoff. The truth is we gravitate to what feels good or "normal" and change takes us out of our comfort zone.

What about question number five? What would be the downside to taking more time for yourself? For some, that might mean working less which could lead to work conflict or possibly less income. Many individuals believe that taking time for themselves is somehow selfish, creating a huge perceived downside. Another implication could be that to carve out time for yourself you need to hire outside help, which means another expense on the monthly budget. These examples just scrape the surface, but they illustrate how difficult it is for people to break away from their comfort zone, even if change offers a better end result. When the perceived risk is high, inaction is simply the easier choice. By examining the benefits of staying stuck, you can really start to unravel your fears about moving forward and that's where you begin to shift.

So what's the bottom line here? The bottom line is: If you want to create powerful and lasting change in your life, you can! It is never too late to create the life that you want. Take the goal you wrote down that you have yet to accomplish and give yourself the chance to think of that goal as your new reality. How would your life feel different? What positive changes can you see for yourself and those around you if you achieved what you set out to? And, what are you missing out on while you just dream about it? The key to change is retraining your mind to focus on the rewards associated with taking action and the pain of inaction rather than the payoffs of staying where you are.

By uncovering the positive payoffs of change, it starts to put into perspective what you are missing out on by not taking the reigns. Identifying and acknowledging your fears and motivators is the first step towards creating a more authentic life. And while change can be frightening and sometimes even risky, it can also open up your life to possibilities and rewards richer than you ever imagined. It all starts with one small step forward.

About the Author:
Jennifer Emrich, C.E.C., is the owner of Envision Coaching and a Certified Life Strategy & Career Coach. To find out more about how coaching can help you create a better life call (914) 674-0790 or email envisioncoach@optonline.net