Things change over time. We grow up, learn a ton of stuff, change our beliefs, etc. But the “boogey monster” still lurks in the collective unconscious, personifying the fears we all face, but don’t always want to admit.
When I was 10, I loved to watch movies, though monster movies always terrified me. I could only watch them from under a blanket peaking out only when the music wasn’t too suspenseful. One morning I was bored and the only thing on TV was The Swamp Thing. Do you remember this old movie? It was spooky and full of suspense! My head was mostly under the blanket – until they showed the swamp monster. What a let down! He was so phony. I don’t remember how the movie ended. I think I turned it off because it was really pretty stupid.
This is a metaphor for many of the boogey monsters of our adult lives, especially for business people. These boogey monsters are our fears that are so rooted in the subconscious that we aren’t even consciously aware of them.
Alexander the Great won a critical battle against a larger more powerful army by giving homage to fear and panic the night before. Fear and panic fled from his camp to the camp of the enemy and Alexander won the battle.
The moral of these two stories is to face your fears, and do it anyway!
There are two types of fears. One kind is that alert of warning because there is real danger, such as when we are walking alone at night. Common sense says we need to pay attention. If you experience that type of fear – suck it up, stand tall, walk confidently so you don’t look like a victim, and get to safety as quickly as possible.
The second kind of fear is when we are stepping out of our comfort zone into the unfamiliar. Our subconscious doesn’t like the unfamiliar! It will try to get us back to “comfort,” which our subconscious interprets as safety. Most of these fears are just boogey monsters that have no more real substance than the Swamp Monster. Our subconscious is trying to keep us safe. This is an instinctual response that developed during the prehistoric times when we developed as human beings. Our survival depended on repeating the familiar. Our life span was short and if we didn’t repeat the behaviors of our clan we faced real bodily harm and possible death.
Times are very different today, however. Most of our fears are internal. And many of us dream of stepping into our big selves. We are tired of being small and living half-lived lives. Most of us stay small because of the fears that lurk in our subconscious holding us back from our potential. If we can just acknowledge those fears and take that step into the unfamiliar, we have a chance of living the life we truly want.
Next time you are hesitating from doing something different – think of the Swamp Thing and ask yourself if this fear is a “phony” fear trying to keep you safe in your comfort zone. If it is, pull your head out from under the blanket and take that first step into the unfamiliar. With each step, you will discover how exhilarating doing something new and different can be.
If you want to move past your fears but are finding it challenging, give me a call and take advantage of my complementary 30-minute consultation. I would like to see how I might be able to help you move past your comfort zone and begin to embrace the life you truly want. Email Joy today or call 415-819-8769.