Fear

Last week I watched my dear friend Mary Kiani perform her show to a packed out room and she was fierce, confident, and completely at home on the stage.

Mary has spent more time on the stage than most people and it shows. She is a seasoned professional and she literally comes alive in that context.

That is NOT the case for most people.

Often, people feel utterly crushed at the thought. Being seen, being heard, being unable to hide… these are all such overwhelming concepts.

Then the plaguing thoughts kick in like, “What if I mess up? What if I sound bad? What if I forget everything?”

Research has proven that public speaking is a leading cause of FEAR for many people on the planet.

Did you know that overall, fear of public speaking is America’s biggest phobia?

25.3 percent say they fear to speak in front of a crowd!

One of the reasons I love coaching is that I am in a privileged position to help people break through these fears which are so extremely common.

When you overcome fear in any area, it translates across your entire life. You literally uplevel your confidence in all ways.

For some people, their negative thoughts often supersede any joy of the moment and can leave them utterly debilitated. Some even venture into all-out panic attacks where their body has a physical response to the overwhelming fear.

Surely there is a better way!

Well, there is. Moving into a place where you have unshakable confidence and the ability to rise up and deliver, DESPITE any fear is a learned skill and an extremely crucial one.

This weekend, I will be performing with my incredible live band, and Mary Kiani is singing too… the confident SUPERSTAR!

The opening acts for each of the three shows are singers that I totally believe in. I have seen all of them bloom and develop in phenomenal ways over time and even though I KNOW they might be a bit nervous to be performing on stage with my world class band… they are all going to brace themselves and DO IT. It is an experience that reaches wayyyyy beyond singing. This breakthrough, this moment in time, this opportunity to shine…. is a turning point. They have all sung live before and are established singers in their own right, yet some have not sung for a while due to various difficult life circumstances. Others simply have not had the opportunity to perform frequently, so they feel a bit unsure. On the other hand, some are fearless and ready to embrace the whole thing relaxed and with complete excitement!

When fear shows up, we have a couple of options.

The first is to: Run away, hide, and let fear dominate all our major decisions.

The second one: Face it and walk towards it until it diminishes then ultimately disappears!

I truly hope that YOU decide to choose the latter, every single time…. And “DO IT AFRAID.”

An acronym for FEAR is – False Evidence Appearing Real. Remember that many thoughts that don’t serve us are trying to overrule what is possible and they are not even based or grounded in reality! The battle is one worth fighting.

Overcoming fear can be a process and requires some deep work and commitment, particularly if it has had a stronghold for decades, yet I can promise you that a life living under fear, with fear as your master is NOT your ideal pathway.

Sometimes we fear something because we do not know exactly how to conquer it. We allow ourselves to be overwhelmed and eventually give in to uncertainty because we have no tools to help us face it. Yet what we often overlook is that we already have what it takes…it’s just that we do not know how to access that strength.

I am so proud of these singers who are catapulting themselves into a place where the music, the joy, the songs, the fun, and the experience is more powerful than any nerves or fear. When you reach THAT place, you have already won.

To quote a lyric from my song, “Slow Down”:

Rise, Rise, Rise, Life is calling!

Slow Down – Simone Waddell

We can always choose. Don’t ever let fear win. Rise. No matter what. Rise.

The YOU HAVE A VOICE ACADEMY 12 months signature course and the SONG OF YOUR LIFE Retreat on May 31 – June 3^rd are both accepting registrations. Both are incredible opportunities to transform and reach new levels in soooooo many ways. Contact me and ask ANYTHING you like about either of them and also do let me know how YOU are going.

As for the upcoming shows I mentioned, I would LOVE to see you at one of them! Here are the details: