Today Charly and I talked to Jacqueline Wales from http://www.thefearlessfactor.com
Jacqueline has an amazing history and achieved many things in her life that she would have never dreamt of. She is an inspiration to listen to.

We started out by talking about her background and childhood which included a lot of exposure to violence and alcoholism, poverty followed by drug addiction and alcohol abuse. Out of all that, after a lot of commitment, hard work and struggle evolved a remarkable woman who is on a mission to achieve all of her dreams and share her knowledge and skills with others so they can achieve their goals against all odds.

The “Fearless Factor” is all about going beyond fear. Fear is based in our imagination (unless it is a real life threatening situation). Our imagination goes into overdrive and into a very negative mode. Our only reality is here and now (which is also one of the very basic yoga principles). We have no idea what will happen, we can’t possibly know. We can project into the future in a positive way by saying to ourselves something like: “If I have it my way, this will happen…”

We need to question all our beliefs once we are adults because all of us live with somebody else’s beliefs and fears in our minds.

Fear is like an abyss, we need to work out how to get to the other side and the only way is to jump – it is not as far as you think it is. Fear can also be defined as the “inability to trust”. This could be not trusting ourselves or others. On the other side of fear is love, especially loving yourself, and the firm belief that anything is possible.

Being fearless is not the absence of fear but the ability to get to the “other side”. How to overcome fear? Start acting “as if” or like some of my mentors have put it: “Fake it till you make it”.

Fear has 5 elements:
• Loss
• Abandonment
• Rejection
• Humiliation
• Failure or success

When we have fear one or many of the 5 elements above are activated. All these elements interrelate. To manage the fear of failure just redefine failure as something that “didn’t work”. You simply did not have enough information. Don’t dwell on it, just move on to the next thing.

One practical hint how to overcome your fears:
Carry palm cards and write down any negative thought or fear that comes to mind as soon as it does. Then turn the card around and write the opposite thought on the back.
This is a great tool as it graphically reminds you every time you have self sabotaging thoughts and you have an opportunity to turn them around.

To listen to the full interview, click here:

Jacqueline left us with one parting thought: “Remember that fear is an option”.

Connie and Charly