Let's defeat our Fear

[00:00:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Hello Sunshine and how have you been?

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_00]: You know today I will begin this episode with a lovely story someone shared with me as a

[00:00:16] [SPEAKER_00]: forward.

[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_00]: There was once a young warrior and her teacher had told her that she had to go to battle

[00:00:23] [SPEAKER_00]: with fear.

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_00]: She didn't want to do that, it seemed too aggressive, it was scary, it seemed unfriendly

[00:00:31] [SPEAKER_00]: but the teacher said she had to do it and give her the instructions for the battle.

[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_00]: The day arrived the student warrior stood on one side and fear stood on the other.

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: The warrior was feeling very small and fear was looking big and fearsome.

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_00]: They both had their weapons.

[00:00:51] [SPEAKER_00]: The young warrior roused herself and went towards fear, prostrated three times and asked

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_00]: May I have permission to go into battle with you?

[00:01:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Fear said thank you for showing me so much respect, that you ask permission.

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Then the young warrior said how can I defeat you?

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Fear replied my weapons are that I talk fast and I get very close to your face then

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_00]: you get completely unnerved and you do whatever I say.

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_00]: If you don't do what I tell you I have no power.

[00:01:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Fear, you can listen to me and you can have respect for me.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_00]: You can even be convinced by me but if you don't do what I say I have no power.

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_00]: In that way the student warrior learned how to defeat fear.

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Each one of us without exception struggles with the negative voice in their head.

[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_00]: We can call it fear.

[00:01:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes we are paralysed by fear.

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes we are wrecked by insecurity because of fear.

[00:01:52] [SPEAKER_00]: We may not think too highly of ourselves.

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_00]: We don't realise it but it stops us from achieving what we need to.

[00:02:00] [SPEAKER_00]: And so many of us actually believe that negative voice in our heads.

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_00]: That negative voice that incessantly keeps telling us that we aren't good enough.

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Obsessively making us think about how things could actually go wrong.

[00:02:16] [SPEAKER_00]: You know the main problem is that we don't know how to work our way through that negative voice.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm pretty sure you can recall instances or episodes from your life

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_00]: when you imagine the worst outcome out of a situation.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: And somehow those fears never materialised and things turned out far better than you actually expected.

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_00]: One of the main weapons fear or that negative voice in our head has

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_00]: at its disposal is its ability to spin these false negative stories.

[00:02:49] [SPEAKER_00]: These stories hold us back by creating very very compelling narratives in our heads

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_00]: and that's how they control our decisions and our actions.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And honestly what if we try to look at things a little differently?

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_00]: For example, instead of considering all the things that could go wrong

[00:03:09] [SPEAKER_00]: think through what you'd need to do to make sure that it goes well.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Focusing on where you're actually going to ensure that you actually end up there.

[00:03:20] [SPEAKER_00]: You know the voice in our head is a master at bringing up these past mistakes

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_00]: and these insecurities and reminding us of all of those incidents

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and episodes that will make us feel even smaller.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_00]: And if I tell you a little secret, the voice doesn't know any better

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_00]: it's just repeating what it's been fed.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: And that is where self affirmations come in.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_00]: These positive statements that you can tell yourself that can help you overcome

[00:03:48] [SPEAKER_00]: any kind of self sabotaging and negative thoughts.

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Treating yourself with compassion, setting realistic goals.

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_00]: For example if you've given up reading and you want to get back to reading

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_00]: all you need to do is maybe read four or five pages a day to begin with

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and then before you know it, you'll be going through books.

[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Each time you achieve that one small goal

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_00]: it's like a blow to that negative voice

[00:04:15] [SPEAKER_00]: because it's proof that you're capable of achieving what you set out to do.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Make sure you surround yourself with positive people

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_00]: indulge in activities that will help you feel more confident

[00:04:27] [SPEAKER_00]: help you feel better, practice gratitude.

[00:04:32] [SPEAKER_00]: At the heart of it all remember that the power to silence that negative voice

[00:04:36] [SPEAKER_00]: lies only within you.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Roosevelt once said, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00]: and this holds true for that little voice inside your head as well.

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_00]: It only has as much power as you give it.

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_00]: So now choose to take that power back.

[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Choose to challenge and change that narrative

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and choose to remind yourself of your birth, your strength and your potential.

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Here's to each one of you having a great week ahead of you.

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So much love to all of you and we'll speak to you again next week.

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Bye for now.