ARE FEAR & ANXIETY HOLDING YOU BACK FROM BEING A BUSINESS OWNER?
Fear can be a powerful thing that can hold you back from following your dreams. As a therapist and counselor I have seen many clients that allow fear to get in the way of them going after what they want. Fear and anxiety are the reasons that many people do not grab a hold of opportunities that are in front of them. The good news is that fear does not have to stop you. You have the power to overcome fear and anxiety.
As a therapist and counselor I have worked with many clients that have wanted to start their own business but hadn’t done so yet because of fear. There are all types of fears that come up when thinking about striking out on your own. The two most common I have seen are the fear of having the know how and the fear of failure.
One of the most common reasons people do not start their own business is because they fear they do not know enough. If you are passionate about working for yourself and starting your own business do the leg work to find out if it is feasible. Do research, and then do even more research. Find out if the service you will provide or the product you want to sell is in demand. Find other business owners in the area you want to go in and ask them about how they are doing. Find owners that are successful and study what made them successful. Seek owners that are struggling and failing and see why they aren’t succeeding. Join networking groups for entrepreneurs, read books, read blogs, go to seminars, and find a mentor. Knowledge is power so you need to arm yourself with as much as you can.
Another common fear that brings up a lot of anxiety for people in starting their own businesses is the fear of failure. Once you have done your research and come up with a business plan you must learn to believe in yourself. Do not let anxiety and fear beat you down. You have to quash the negative thoughts that are telling you that you are going to fail. Change the conversation in your head to one of positivity. Envision yourself owning a business and being successful. Visualize yourself achieving your dream of having a prosperous business. Be your own biggest cheerleader.
I remember how fearful I was before I started my own private practice. I thought of all the ways that I could possibly fail. I worried that since I had never had experience in running my own business that I would not be able to do it. I learned quickly that changing my thoughts to being positive instead of negative was a game changer. I posted positive affirmations all over my house, my new office, and practiced saying them over and over again. On a daily basis I visualized seeing myself having a successful private practice where I would help a countless number of people. I am really happy that I took a leap of faith and started working for myself. It has been the best thing I have ever done. You too are capable of conquering your fears and investing yourself.
ABOUT ESSENCE OF HEALING COUNSELING:
Roberta Alves is a therapist and counselor at the Essence of Healing Counseling in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. She is a Certified Anxiety Specialist and uses a scientific and evidence based type of therapy called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Research has shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is proven to be extremely effective in treating anxiety. Roberta is truly passionate about the work she does and loves serving her clients in Ft. Lauderdale and the surrounding South Florida areas. If you want to learn the proven techniques to overcome your anxiety, schedule an appointment today.