Do you suffer from Fear of the Unknown? Of course you do! To some extent, all women (an men too) do. And it’s especially more so for the NEW entrepreneur, because she is navigating the abyss between the known (the past way of doing things) and the unknown (her new business).

That’s why there is a term for  the thing that keeps us locked in our status quo, no matter if it’s good or bad for us: the Comfort Zone. (Although it SOUNDS good, the “Comfort Zone” is what keeps you in a dead-end job or in a dead-end relationship, because the Fear of the Unknown supersedes the Comfort Zone.)

Overcoming the Fear of the Unknown is a challenging endeavor, but it can be done. If you suffer from a fear of uncertainty, understanding what fear is, and how it affects you, can start you on the road to conquering it.

Fear has been defined in several ways; however, the most basic definition of fear is an emotional response based on the fact that we’re faced with something unfamiliar or impending danger.

When we experience fear, several psychological and physiological responses take place all at the same time.

Psychological events include feeling emotionally overwhelmed, having high levels of anxiety, and even feeling terrified. Physiological responses include a faster heart rate, shallow breathing, and similar effects.

Experiencing fear can greatly impact your view on life, your confidence levels, and even the potential that you have as an individual.

Here’s an example of a situation where a woman had the crippling fear that everything she did would result in failure:

Janice was very successful in her career and personal life. It seemed that people were instantly drawn to her and her ideas, but on the inside, Janice was a mess.

Every time she worked on a project, she would throw herself into it. In the end, she would ultimately succeed, but on the inside, she was always worried that she would fail or that her completed project wouldn’t be good enough.

For the most part, she recognized the fact that her fear was irrational. However, Janice grew up in an abusive home. She was physically beaten and consistently ridiculed by her father. Regardless of what she did, it was never enough to meet his expectations.

The result was that she grew up to become a workaholic, often struggling to finish several things at once, and leaving very little time for herself.

The root of her fear of failure was grounded in her childhood. Her father harbored unrealistically high expectations and would be mentally and physically abusive towards her when his expectations weren’t met. Once she realized this about her past, Janice was able to ease her personal expectations and overcome her fear.

Here are some strategies you can use to help overcome your fear:

1. Recognize your fears. By realizing that you’re fearful, you’re more likely to get to the bottom of what the fear is.

• You may also have a fear of facing your fears. The best way to conquer this fear is to accept the truth behind what’s causing you to experience limited happiness in life.
• You might come to understand that you’re afraid of failing or taking chances. You may even be fearful because you simply don’t have confidence in yourself.
• Regardless of the issue at hand, it’s important that you recognize your fear and attempt to define what it is that makes you terrified of the unknown. The key here is not to dwell on your fear, but rather to understand precisely what it is you’re worried about.

2. Determine the underlying root of your fears. How can you identify the cause of your fears? An insightful look at your life might reveal the answer. By recognizing what causes your fears, it’s likely you can overcome them with great success!

3. Face your fears. Once you’ve accepted your fear and identified the root cause, you’re ready to conquer it! The best method to do this is to face it head on.

• Make a decision to purposely tackle your fears by indulging yourself in activities that push you outside of your comfort zone. For example, put yourself in a place where you’re safe, yet uncomfortable, or respectfully confront someone from your past. In the end, you’ll find that you can successfully overcome your fears, one by one!

Overcoming your fear of the unknown is a difficult undertaking. However, if you take the time to engage in these three steps, you’ll discover a renewed peace and happiness within your heart!

As you work to unlock the chains that bind you to your fears, you’ll enjoy a freedom that you’ve never felt before.

Do you ever feel like your life has no purpose – like you’re just going from one day to the next, without really loving or hating it? If you’re in this situation (and if this situation is your daytime job), boredom is your enemy.

And if your one of the working bored-dead on the job, perhaps it’s time to consider dabbling with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur!  (Gloria Steinem suggests that many women undergo a major life’s transition in mid-life, as that is when the social layers have all been peeled back: Confidence is up because women begin to notice that it’s not what’s outside that counts, but what is inside.)

We all experience boredom at some point in life, and it stops us from meeting our full potential. (Fear is the other beast of burden, and that’s a biggie that I’ll get into later!) If you want to get out of this rut and onto the fast track to success and fulfillment, you’re going to have to give up boredom. It’s time to say you’ll never be bored again!

“Live UNTIL you die.” Don’t die a 100 tiny deaths each day!

Boredom is detrimental to your physical and mental health. It makes you feel unfulfilled, unhappy, and tired. It’s a fact – inactivity leads to more inactivity, plus it leaves you feeling empty and miserable. The cycle becomes ongoing, and you’ve got to consciously break its path.

If you’re feeling bored and want to get out of the slump, do something – anything! It doesn’t matter what. Just get moving. If you don’t like your current career path, change to something else. It is NEVER too late!

Boredom and Purpose

How does boredom relate to finding your purpose? It’s simple. If you’re allowing yourself to be bored, you’re putting roadblocks in the way of finding the path that will lead you to the top of your personal mountain.

It’s important to have a purpose, because that purpose will allow you to feel happy and give you a reason to get out of bed every day. It will keep you moving, active, and healthy.

Your special purpose doesn’t necessarily have to be a career; it could be a hobby or charitable cause. Having said that, though, how sweet would life be if you could actually earn money doing what you LOVE.

It’s also important to love what you’re doing. The ideal, of course, is to turn your life’s passion into a full time career. No matter what you’re doing, if you don’t love it, you need to find something else to pursue.

Some people are able to pursue their passion during the time when they’re not working, because some passions may not make the best careers. For example, there are few highly paid stamp collectors.

How Do You Find Your Purpose?

How can you discover your special purpose? The answer is simple, but the process might be a tough one. You need to open yourself to all new experiences and get out there and do things. You mustn’t allow yourself to say you’re bored anymore!

Exploring the world around you is a great way to discover your purpose or passion.

Whether you’re reading new books, exploring parts of your city you’ve never been to, or talking to people you’ve never met, you’ll discover new things about yourself, learn more about your surroundings, and experience new adventures.

New experiences have a lot to offer. They get you out of the same old mindset and into one where you have more passion and interest in the world. New encounters encourage you to try new things, develop new skill sets, and find out what you excel at.

You can find purpose in the strangest places, so don’t rule out any activity. After all, if you try something and don’t like it, you don’t have to go back to it.

It’s having passions, and the perseverance to pursue them, that makes us stars. If you’ve been feeling like your life is empty, it’s time to fill it with some passion!

To your ultimate success!