Fear. Good news: you’re not a cat, and you can outsmart it.
Yesterday we took our cats to the vet, and one of my kitties was so terrified he tried to hide as much as he could. Can you spot him in the photo? :)
We all experience fear.
Unlike animals who react to real danger, we often fear things that haven’t even happened (and likely never will), which makes it even harder.
A little fear sharpens focus and keeps us alert.
But too much drains your energy, clouds judgment, and keeps you stuck -
in jobs you’ve outgrown, relationships that don’t support you, or roles that feel safe but offer no growth.
And the things we fear most are often the ones that matter most - and where the biggest growth usually happens.
One of the scariest things I’ve ever done was moving across the world (from Siberia to Canada) alone to start graduate school.
New country. New language. New food. New rules. No friends. No family nearby.
Culture shock hit hard. I struggled to keep up in conversations, worried I’d say something stupid or fail, felt like I couldn’t fully express myself.
It was exhausting - lonely nights, brain on overdrive, lots of tears… and ice cream.
I wanted to give up and go back. But I didn’t.
I just kept going and doing the best I could -
step by step, into my fear.
That led to successfully finishing my second Master’s, building a career in a new field, and growing into a VP role at a global company.
Now I’m building my coaching business from scratch. Still scary. Still uncertain. But also exciting. So I keep going.
Even posting on LinkedIn was once terrifying.
Most people here knew me in a different role.
Now I’m sharing personal stories, showing vulnerability, offering services in a new space.
The first few posts involved a lot of overthinking, rewriting, and hesitation before I hit post.
But I did it anyway.
And I still keep doing it when fear shows up.
This is what I do to overcome fear:
1. Reconnect to my WHY - my values, my purpose.
It usually feels bigger than the fear.
Pause. Reflect. Journal or meditate if needed.
2. Ask: What if I don’t do this?
If I let fear win and stay in inaction - what will I lose? That one is big for me. It paints a real picture of missed opportunities.
3. Go through the worst-case scenario.
What if people laugh? Judge me? I fail and it takes forever to see results?
It’s rarely something I can’t handle.
That gives me energy to take one tiny step forward. Sometimes, that’s all it takes.
Step by step, it gets easier. You get momentum. And the fear stories start to fade.
What about you?
Where does fear show up most - career, relationships, trying something new?
And what helps you overcome it?
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