24 Fear Cycle & Overcoming Fear

Overcoming Fear (especially fear of change)

Studies have shown there are six stages of FEAR

Where are you stuck in the change cycle?

1. Discontent— In this stage you start to grow increasingly unhappy and discontent with an area of your life. It could be your career, relationships, family, business anything. 

2. Breaking Point— Eventually your level of discontent continue to grow and builds up so high that you cannot take it anymore. You reach that certain “breaking point,” either through burnout of fighting it or due to a dramatic event happening that triggers the break.

3. Decision—You decide you’re truly ready to make a change and declare that you will no longer tolerate the undesirable situation. 

4. Fear—Usually, shortly (or even immediately) after your feelings of empowerment, you encounter your fear. You become uncomfortable and anxious about the idea of changing. You start doubting your decision.

5. Amnesia—The fear of change grows strong enough that it makes the original situation look much better than you originally thought. You perceive the original situation as less anxiety-producing than the change. 

6. Backtracking—Most people choose to go back to or stick with the item they wished to change. 

So how can we break the cycle?

There is really two ways:

1. Extreme Pain: You have a breaking point that is severe enough to push through the change cycle. For many people, unfortunately, it takes an extreme circumstance to push them to evolve, such as major financial loss, job loss, loss of a loved one, the ending of a relationship, a severe accident, or a nervous breakdown. You see, your Higher Self knows what you truly want and will lead you to it. If you resist changing long enough, something will happen in your life that will put you in a position where you have NO CHOICE but to change.

2. Self-Honesty: You have the humbling experience of realizing that there’s a part of you that doesn’t really want to change. You are comfortable with your habits, with what you know. You have a lot of fear that holds you back. You have many self-limiting beliefs. You receive some sort of benefit from staying where you are. You are unhappy because you want to be unhappy. You are addicted to the situation. You believe your pain is you; it’s your story. You can see your resistance to letting it go. Only after reaching this level of self-honesty can you truly choose to change.

Listen to the complete episode to hear more of these explained in depth and Lucy’s own story of overcoming some of her fears.