In The Rat Race author Michael Allen, PhD, tackles the issue of fear. Fear is a very real part of life. There are times when fear will be a necessary component of getting what you want out of life. However, for the majority of us our fears are usually of something that we can do something about. The following five ways to escape and live in abundance include:
Facing fear – Every successful person has faced some form of fear in their lifetime. For instance, there may have been times when they did not feel like they could succeed or dream big. If you face this fear head on, it can give you the drive and motivation you need to achieve your goals. When facing your fears, you can look at them as challenges. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, you can push through and make progress toward your goal.
Getting out of bed – The constant ringing in your ear is enough to drive anyone crazy. You may want to escape and go back to sleep. To do this, you must focus on a positive outcome. Think of ways you can conquer your fear or focus on the rat race again. If you cannot escape your fear, you will never escape anything else.
Going to a party – When you go to a party, you will likely have some friends around. Some will be good, some will be bad. Either way, you need to escape. Even if you do not like the people, going to a party can be a great way to meet new people, get drunk, and eat food. While you are on the way to your event, you can think positively and look forward to a successful escape.
Getting lost in the woods – While it may seem scary to consider this, a forest can be a great place to hide from your fears and get away from the rat race. The woods can provide you with peace and quiet. Even though you may be afraid, you can use this time to reflect on your life. Think about what you need to learn in life and get out of your rat race. This is a perfect time to gain self confidence and stop living in fear of failure.
Reading in the library – If you enjoy reading, you will enjoy spending time in the library. The librarians there will likely be very knowledgeable about books. This is also a great way to overcome your fear of the rat race and go on an intellectual voyage. After all, isn’t that what all great literature is really all about? If you are afraid of being judged by others, you will likely love spending time in a library filled with books.
Meeting people who can help you – Often when we are working too hard we can become isolated. This can cause a fear of leaving your home and meeting new people. If you find yourself isolated you may want to meet people who can help you overcome your fear of quitting.
Avoiding conflict – Sometimes the fear of conflict is so strong that you won’t even want to enter into a forum where you might be asked to give advice or share your ideas. How do you avoid conflict if you must avoid conflict in order to escape from your rat race? The best solution is to be proactive. Contempt can turn into dialogue which leads to constructive criticism. The best way to avoid conflict is to always have something to say. Then, when someone asks you how you can help solve a problem, you can confidently tell them that you have a good solution and they should try it.
