'Dream It' to 'Do It' - 10 Mindful Strategies
Feeling fearful about an idea or dream? That may be a good sign!!
You see, any dream or idea of true importance to us always carries some fear. This is because we care about it deeply and it carries an emotional tie, purpose, and value for us. Depending on how big or small that dream or idea is, there is aligning resistance (fear). When our resistance is overwhelming, it most often means that there is some purpose in our lives behind it.
In other words, the more resistance we feel toward our dreams or ideas, the more aligned it may be with our purpose. So, what do you do about it?
Try these strategies to help you navigate and overcome barriers to pursue your ideas and dreams.
1. Curiosity and Awareness
Reflect on your thoughts and feelings about your ideas and dreams. Ask questions such as,
Do I feel anxious or overwhelmed because of its importance?
Am I making excuses about not pursuing this idea?
Do I feel a sense of inadequacy about this dream?
Recognizing signs of resistance helps to understand its significance in your life.
2. Understanding
Understanding why we create fear and resistance can help to overcome it. You heard that right; we actually create our own resistance. Allowing that fear and resistance in your path forward is due to a natural tendency to protect yourself from the unknown. Understanding this can empower you to address it. Common reasons include:
Imposter Syndrome: Anxiety about what others may think of our actions and feeling inadequate.
Fear of Failure: Worrying about not succeeding can prevent us from trying.
Fear of Success: People are often concerned about the changes success might bring. This sounds counterintuitive, yet it's very common!
Comfort Zone: Preferring the safety of what's known over the uncertainty of a new path.
Perfectionism: Beliefs that less than perfect results are unacceptable.
3. Challenge Negative Beliefs
Once you identify your fear beliefs, you can work on challenging and reframing negative beliefs to help provide opposing information. For example, ask yourself
Have I ever overcome something like this in my past?
Have I done hard things before?
How could I handle the possible outcomes?
How often have past fears materialized?
Challenging our negative beliefs creates new thoughts and beliefs. Replacing limiting beliefs with empowering ones can shift our mindset from resistance to potential.
4. Mindset
We know that challenges and so-called “failures” are development opportunities, yet we allow your mind to counteract this fact. Try this mantra – ‘Wins are celebrated because of the hard work and so-called “failures” that happened along the way to get there.’
Also, realize that the hard work and so-called “failures” along the way provide life’s biggest learning experiences. There is a lot of value in new knowledge from all experiences. Embrace all outcomes as forward progress.
5. Manageable Steps
Smaller, manageable wins often feel more achievable and help to overcome our resistance. Take steps that are attainable in bite-sized actions. This motivates the process as we achieve each small step toward our larger goal.
6. Self-Compassion
Sometimes the hardest part of progress is to allow yourself time and consideration. It may help to know that it is a form of intelligence to understand that we need to take care of ourselves through life's challenges. Treating ourselves with compassion creates a supportive inner environment to help pursue our dreams.
7. Trusted Advisors
Share aspirations with trusted friends, family, or mentors. They can offer encouragement, advice, and accountability. Sometimes, an external perspective helps to overcome internal resistance more effectively.
8. Visualization
Visualizing success is a helpful and powerful tool. Take two minutes today to imagine what achieving your dreams would feel like. Positive emotions help you move forward. Add affirmations to build confidence and align our subconscious mind with your goals.
9. Take Action
Action is a remedy to resistance. Action builds momentum, gradually diminishing fear and doubt. Aim to honor each step of your progress to reinforce positive feelings associated with moving toward your dreams.
10. Reflect and Adjust
Consider any epic invention, theory, or discovery in our history and lifetime — it’s likely that they all came with reflection and adjustments. Journal your progress and be open to an adjust-as-you-go approach.
Transforming resistance into actions towards an dream or idea calls for a willingness to experiment with multiple strategies. By steadily resolving the resistance barriers and obstacles we tend to construct, we can transform ideas and dreams from abstract thoughts into tangible realities. The transformation process and any outcomes of the process is an integral part of life's journey of discovery, learning, fulfillment and strategies for a well-lived life!