Turn Your Feelings Into Fearlessness

When you find yourself in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation, how does it make you feel?

Fearful Afraid Scared Nervous

Worried Intimidated Panic

Frightened Anxiety Terrified Helpless

For help, many look to family and friends, some look to therapy, and then there are others who choose IMPACT.

IMPACT participants have asked themselves this very question, and their answers are just like those listed above. According to Gavin de Becker’s book The Gift of Fear, many women should trust the power of their intuition and follow through on their instinct. Women shouldn’t worry about someone else’s feelings in an unsafe situation that would compromise their own, because often times, it’s a matter of life and death. Pay attention to that inner voice, and allow it to embrace your power of perception.

You’ve now looked at all of your options and you decide to sign up for an IMPACT course. Now you start to wonder what to expect. Your mind eventually starts racing in hopes of either calming you down or getting super excited over what’s to come.

Your class has finally started. The first day is usually quite comical, or so you think. You don’t feel as strong as you’ve always mentally thought. You can’t comprehend why the various scenarios you are participating in are not reflecting what you see on television. You may feel terrified or paralyze at what your about to experience. Yet, others may feel they are reliving a traumatic event.

Regardless of how you feel when you initially walk-in, the instructors and volunteers hope that your emotions become much different throughout the course. With the help of your classmates and the power within yourself, the instructors and volunteers hope you find yourself feeling...

Encouraged Uplifted Tested Reassured

Strengthened Motivated

Inspired Comforted Supported Driven

Just as quickly as the weekend starts it soon comes to an end. All those feelings you had prior to and during may have changed multiple times the course have changed again - this time for the better, but hopefully not for the worse. .

So, how does the IMPACT organization want you to feel after you’ve taken a course?

Empowered Strong Courageous Fearless

Bold Aware Heroic

Confident Tenacious Unyielding Brave

Women and girls have found the strength, courage, and power to set boundaries, assess dangerous situations, and respond effectively to verbal or physical attacks. IMPACT allows individuals to walk into a safe space - feeling accepted despite their circumstances or what they’ve been through. There is just one goal in mind - turning those negative words into positive ones.

No matter what option you look to for help, remember to never ignore your intuition, and turn your feelings into fearlessness!

Maple Joy

New IMPACT Chicago Contributor--look for future posts by Maple Joy the third week of each month.