Focus Forward Friday: Be Fearless

Happy with heights, from the Navy Pier ferris wheel. Now for calm in front of crowds...

Photo by Brandon Kidd.

Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: fearlessness. We all face fears, irrational or not, in our lives. Fears of growing up. Fears of letting go. Fears of being seen for who we really are.

In the Hot Room, I often find myself building up fears instead of listening to the dialogue and taking each posture one step at a time. After Standing Separate Leg Stretching I'll feel my heart pounding and my head throbbing; sometimes, my eyesight dims and I get the sensation that I could pass out. I'll sit down immediately -- or, just as often, sit out the first set if I'm feeling scared.

Then there's Camel. I work up the posture in my mind like it's going to be the worst thing that's happened all day, when often breathing right through it helps me realize it's a huge relief. I head into Savasana feeling refreshed by new energy and a release of tension in my back.

Which postures do you sit out because of fear?

Who haven't you approached in your life because you're holding back, frightened of what might happen if you spoke your mind?

Have you thought about why your fears have the best of you?

Feeling nervous? Check out this online mag to read inspiring stories by gutsy leaders.

One talented lady I met at the Seth Godin conference publishes a fantastic magazine about individuals who refuse to give in to fear. As their site states, Fear.Less is a free online mag that empowers people through unique stories of overcoming fear. The subjects range from business leaders and artists to scientists and people who've survived extreme experiences. They understand that fear is intense. It's universal. And though it consumes us, we don't have to live with it!

I'd encourage you to check out some of the stories of bravery and daring listed on the site. You can also follow Fear.Less on Facebook and Twitter, or submit your own story.

I encourage you to take pride in facing your fears. For me, lately I've been able to move past my anxiety about public speaking. I taught a yoga class at NU to over 35 people a few weeks ago. And this week I presented to a small entrepreneurship class on marketing to promote my freelance editing company, editZING. For each, I felt calm and capable in front of the crowd. Instead of shaking in my boots, I just breathed right through it.

Share your stories of fearlessness in the comments below, and have a bold weekend!

Seth Godin, fearless Linchpin leader.