Breaking Terror Barriers Within You to Achieve Growth and Development

Let me try to explain the process of how to break terror barriers to expand your comfort zone.

First step in the psychological process of experiencing growth is called bondage. In spite of the mental ability to choose, a person uses the energy flowing into him to think usual thoughts, creating the same internal images and, as a consequence, gets the same type of results.

Then comes a new intriguing idea, an idea out of the ordinary! The person then starts to reason. The idea gets accepted on the intellectual level, but, it is still far from getting accepted on the emotional level.

The idea only remains in the intellectual level because it simply does not resonate with the paradigm prevailing in the subconscious mind. The person, therefore, continues to get the same type of results as before because it is the subconscious that dominates our thoughts and decisions. Even though the person does not get the results he wants, he is still comfortable with where he is because he has been living in that same quality of life every day, probably even for most of his life.

The thing is, he can’t just dismiss this idea. It continues to come back and wants attention. He starts to get emotionally involved. The moment the idea is impressed on the old mind conditioning, the electrical system in the person’s body goes haywire and puts him into a mixed vibration. Worry, fear and anxiety strikes so fast and hard that it puts the person in a complicated state of emotions.

This is common in people and is a remnant from our ancient life out in the wild. When facing a threat of some kind, it is natural for the body to react as if it was facing a wild lion on the prairies. All sorts of stressful emotions and bodily reactions appears, and tries to get your attention.

At this stage, development and growth ceases. Everything is put on high alert to prepare for survival through the 'fight or flight' defense mechanism of the person. A part of the brain called the amygdala even screams at you to do something!

Why? The new idea is pushing this person forward but the old conditioning, the paradigm, is driving him back. The conflict is unbearable. Persons in this state can’t improve their lives, They don’t want to go back, yet, they can’t stay where they are. It is therefore important to look into the why? Why do I want to do this? Why do I want to plunge forward? Does it lead me in the direction of my goals? Does it hurt anyone? Will it improve my life? If the answer to those questions is a resounding yes; then, you should push yourself the terror barrier!

A lack of understanding of what is going on internally often causes the person to retreat to familiar territory. He quickly bounces off the terror barrier all the way back to bondage. The person rationalizes to himself why it is a good place to be there. It’s comfortable and it's familiar. It comes naturally for him to choose to settle in that situation.

But, as Abraham Maslow states, 'You will have a choice here in front of the terror barrier: step forward into growth, or you will step back into safety! Reach for the freedom which becomes your new comfort zone. You will evolve in the process. You will come out on the other side stronger and more prepared for the next round of challenge. You won’t rid yourself of the fear, though. Facing the terror barrier on another occasion will still cause you to experience fear, but it is easier to handle it this time.'

My mentor puts it this way: Do it afraid!