When Opportunity Knocks, Will You Answer The Door?

When opportunity knocks, answer the door!

The ability to stay flexible is considered a key component of success. I commonly see clients whose anxiety is triggered when things "don't go according to plan" or because they can't control the situation. The desire for planning and control often leads to rigid or fear based thinking patterns. In addition, your "plans" have expectations attached that others simply can't or won't be able to meet. This can lead to stress, disappointment, and anger. 

The concept of opportunity is also very interesting to explore. Most people would refer to an opportunity as something positive and beneficial.

In fact, the definition of opportunity is: a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. 

Sounds pretty good, right?

 Unfortunately, society exposes us to negative conditioning about opportunities such as:

Opportunity doesn't knock twice!

When opportunity knocks, open the door!

Don't wait too long, or you'll miss it!

If you don't act now, you won't get around to it!

Say yes to an opportunity even if you're scared because you might not get another one!

Are you sensing the general theme here?

We've been conditioned to believe that opportunities are fleeting little things. They seldom  appear and dash away quickly at the slightest hesitation never to be seen again. How awful!

This conditioning activates the survival brain because it's based on scarcity. Scarcity=fear, loss, and deprivation.

If you don't take an opportunity, then it's gone forever leaving you miserable. So, the survival brain urges you to accept the opportunity (even if it's not the best for you) simply because there's a fear of missing out. This fear triggers your fight or flight response activating stress and negative based limited thinking. No wonder people have such fear and anxiety centered around opportunities!

I prefer to think of opportunities in a positive light. You can avoid scarcity-minded thinking by changing those limiting beliefs to ones of abundance. I like to do affirmations and look for quotes that support opportunities as being abundant and helpful. 

For example: 

Whatever is meant for me will always find me. 

If I miss one opportunity, then another will come along shortly. 

Every day is filled with endless opportunities. 

There are plenty of opportunities out there for me. 

Leaving a scarcity mindset behind to truly embrace the concept of opportunities being abundant is incredibly liberating. Instead of being ruled by stress and fear, faith and relaxation take over. You become positive that help is on the way, and begin to search for that kind of joy. If you're ready to make the switch from fear to faith, then Emotional Strength Coaching can help you eliminate the stress response causing your anxiety in a safe and gentle way. 

April Darley N.D. is an Emotional Strength Coach specializing in helping Empaths/Highly Sensitive People (HSP's) feel better, and function better by releasing stress, anxiety, pain, and sabotaging behavior. Through the combination of coaching and emotional release techniques, you'll learn how to step into your own power, comfortably deal with life's challenges, and stay calm and balanced.