Everyone has to deal with some level of fear on a daily basis. For example, some people may stress about being late for work. Others are so crippled by fear they can’t leave their homes. However, there are ways for overcoming fear.
Why is overcoming fear so important?
Simply put, fear stops you from improving your life. When you succumb to fear it can prevent you from doing things you should (like going to college) or make you engage in things you shouldn’t (such as staying with an abusive partner).When you make decisions based in fear you let fear control of your life. When that happens, you find you rarely take risks, follow your dreams, become successful, and feel worthy and content. So while it is normal to feel fear (everyone does), it’s how you handle it that matters.
How to Overcome Your Fear: Three Primary Steps
The first step is to be positive. Many people who are fearful expect the worst. When you make a conscious effort to expect the best though you’ll find a positive side to each situation. This gives you the time and energy to focus on your strengths and your abilities. Tell yourself that you can handle more than you think. When you believe in yourself you are capable of handling any situation you’re given. But what do you do when fears creep into your subconscious? Immediately replace it with a positive thought. This could be recalling a time when you thought something terrible would happen and it didn’t, or even a difficulty time that you overcame. You could just recall a happy event in your lifetime instead. The point is to stay positive, positive, positive.
The second step is to look at the entire situation. Fear and worry are two sides of the same coin. When people worry it means they’re fearing the worst. But the truth is most of the things that people worry about never come to pass. It’s wasted energy. Now this doesn’t mean that you should become reckless with your decision-making. It’s about empower yourself to know when a fear is groundless and easily overcome. So look closely at your fears to see whether they are unfounded or not.
The third step to overcoming fear is to face your fear. It’s true your anxiety can increase when you think about facing your fear. However, once you have faced it, and you see the result, you’ll realize it wasn’t nearly as bad as you imagined it would be. For example, if you’re afraid of heights examine the city from a high-rise balcony. If you’re afraid of spiders, learn more about them online or in a natural habitat museum.In order to truly overcome fear you need to realize that fear is only a feeling. Just like love, anger, etc. you have control over your feeling of fear. President Roosevelt once said during the Depression, ‘the only thing to fear is fear itself,’ which is as true today as it was in his time. It’s only when we face our fears that we can have a fulfilled life.