BotPower

The Thrill Ride Called “Life” Facing Fear with Strength and
Courage

“And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside
the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
Anais Nin

Recently I have been talking with many people who are struggling
financially, facing major changes and life decisions, and are
feeling down, somewhat desperate, and in a state of disarray.
Yet I noticed some of these same people getting excited about
the thrill that Halloween brings. Hmmmm… fascinating. What is
it about the thrill of Halloween that can be so appealing, while
fear in life can be dreadfully paralyzing?

It seems to come down to fear of the unknown and insecurity. We
can have fun trick-or-treating, going to a scary movie, haunted
house, or Halloween party. The anticipation of not knowing what
will happen is exciting, and we feel confident that we will be
back in our warm, snugly beds when all is said and done. Life
challenges are different though. When will I get a job? What if
I run out of money? Will I get more customers? Will the economy
get better or worse? There is no deadline as to when we will
have the answers. So many “what ifs”. What if you stayed in the
present, and worked on cleaning things up, raising your
standards, creating a stronger personal foundation, and took new
and different actions? In most cases, we can look back and see
how we became stronger and wiser during such challenging times.
What are you learning from this situation? Often these are
pivotal moments that place our lives on the right track again.
So get rid of the “what ifs” and embrace the present know matter
how disheveled it may be.

Fear is the anticipation of danger, a defense mechanism that
alerts you to a possible future event. It helps us to set
boundaries to protect ourselves in the presence of danger.
Analyze the message that fear is sending you. Are you in danger?
What are you really afraid of? If you feel you are in danger of
losing your security, then take action to build it back up
again. You have choices! Start looking in places you haven’t
looked before. Step beyond your comfort zone. Take new actions
to create new results. If you lost a loved one through divorce
or death, then start building new relationships one small step
at a time. If you can not find a job, then make a change in your
job search. Change the action to change the result. Change can
be a sign of growth, so stop fearing it and get excited. Stop
suffering and start strengthening.

What if you are not in danger and it is just your active inner
critic holding you back from the one thing you keep thinking
about? The title of Susan Jeffers book says it all “Feel the
Fear and Do It Anyway.” Take time to watch kids. I have seen
some of the most uncoordinated kids end up as good athletes. The
more you do something the better you get. Kids prove it over and
over again while learning to walk, talk, read, write, ride bike,
climb, speak in front of others, draw, dance, study, play
sports, etc. Consider that at birth we were given every human
trait to access when we choose. Don’t just choose one of these
traits and make that your identity. Practice being more
courageous and you will become more courageous. Yes, it is a
good idea to orient your life around your strengths. However,
you know that thing you really want to try but for whatever
reason you keep talking yourself out of it? Try it out with low
expectations. Just do it for the experience of doing it. It is a
thrill when you step outside the box and do something new. The
first 30 minute talk a gave was a huge step for me. I went with
the attitude that I wanted to finish, touch one person, and have
it be a learning experience, and I did. What a high! Did I wow
the audience? No. Did I learn, gain experience, gain contacts,
get a new client, and receive comments and notes of support?
Yes. Start with small steps. Let me know how it turns out.

Do not allow fear to paralyze and control you. Be your own
biggest supporter. Embrace the thrills that life has to offer…
Starting Now!

Taking Action: Live in the present, learn, and gain strength.
Analyze the message fear is sending you. Are you in danger? What
are you really afraid of? Take action. Look at all of your
choices. New actions lead to new results. Step beyond your
comfort zone. Be your own greatest supporter. Have a Happy
Halloween!

Copyright 2002, Beth A. Tabak. All rights reserved.

Save money and give yourself a break from the chemicals found in
most hair care products by using the following natural home
remedies.

Tame your frizzy hair by rubbing coconut oil into your hands and
applying sparingly onto your hair. You don’t want to overdo it -
too much will make your hair look greasy. Shampooing your hair
less frequently also helps with the frizzies. Excess shampooing
strips natural oils from the hair.

Rinse your hair with baking soda and water to rid your hair of
shampoo build-up and styling residues. Rinsing your hair with
one juiced lemon and one cup of water is said to bring life and
shine back to dull hair. Apple cider vinegar mixed with water
will give your hair shine and bounce.

Add essential oil of ylang ylang to your shampoo, conditioner
and styling agents as a hair rejuvenator and to stimulate hair
growth. Add patchouli to your shampoo if you have oily hair.

Rosemary is an effective hair tonic and conditioner. Rosemary
also helps retain color especially in dark hair.

Chamomile and lemon juice have a mild bleaching effect on hair.
Mix chamomile tea with lemon juice and use as a rinse to lighten
hair.

For problems with dandruff, add rosemary and/or patchouli
essential oils to your shampoo or mix with almond oil as a hair
treatment for your scalp.

For hair loss, add horseradish oil, cedarwood, clary sage,
and/or rosemary oil to your shampoo. Also, Vitamins B, C, F,
zinc, iron, copper and protein are essential for hair growth.
MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) is a natural source of organic
sulfur good for treating hair loss. Take MSM supplements or eat
high sulfur content greens such as kale and watercress.

Drinking plenty of water and eating plenty of raw fruits and
vegetables is probably the best way to achieving healthy hair.
What goes into your body is reflective on the outside including
your hair.

Many women struggle with fear. At some point, they may feel
totally helpless as they struggle each day. What do you do? As a
layman and an author of a managing fear book, there were times
that my fears had the best of me. Through these experiences,
there is one thing that I learned. You can’t hide or runaway
from your fears.

Taking drugs, drinking, or other addictions will not take away
your problems and fears. In the short run, they will make you
feel better but in the long run these addictions will only make
things worse.

So what do you do to make your problems and fears go away? Well,
since you can’t runaway from them, then the best solution is to
tackle your fears head on no matter how strong they may be. The
key is to be smart in how you try to manage these fears. Here
are some ways in how to manage your persistent fears and
anxieties.

Take it one day at a time. Instead of worrying about how you
will get through the rest of the week or coming month, try to
focus on today. Each day can provide us with different
opportunities to learn new things and that includes learning how
to deal with your problems. Focus on the present and stop trying
to predict what may happen next week. Next week will take care
of itself.

Learn how to manage your fearful thoughts that may be difficult
to manage. When experiencing a negative thought, read some
positive statements and affirmations that help lift your spirits
and make you feel better. Remember that your fearful thoughts
may be exaggerated so balance these thoughts with realistic
thinking and common sense.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If
possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your
fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with
additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current
problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping
themselves in the long run because they will become better able
to deal with their problems in the future. Managing your fears
and anxieties takes practice. The more you practice, the better
you will become.

When managing your fears and anxieties do not try to tackle
everything at once. The best solution is to break your fears or
problems into a series of smaller steps. Completing these
smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable
and increases your chances of success.

Managing your fears and anxieties will take some hard work.
Trying to avoid you problems will do nothing in getting rid of
your fears and anxieties. Sooner or later, you will have to
confront your fears and anxieties. Remember that all you can do
is to do your best each day, hope for the best, and take things
in stride. Patience, persistence, education, and being committed
in trying to solve your problem will go along way in fixing your
problems.