Facing Fears
What are you afraid of? Are your worries preventing you from getting things accomplished in your life?
Everyone has fears and many people let those fears stop them from doing things that may prove to be worthwhile or even lucrative.
How can you turn your fear into a positive force in your life?
The first thing you need to understand is the fear itself. Why are you afraid? Is it a rational fear? A fear of snakes can be rational, while a fear of spoons isn't.
Figure out if your fear is rational; if it isn't, try to understand why you have such an irrational fear. You may need to seek help if you can't understand or overcome it.
Sometimes our fears can drive us to do great things and achieve massive success. Once you learn to conquer your fears, you can move past them. The strength you gain from conquering them can provide the momentum that drives you to future success.
Sometimes the only way to get over a fear is to confront it head on. If you have a fear of failure about a certain task, then the only thing to do is take it on and beat it. If you succeed, you'll be encouraged to face another fear.
If you fail to conquer your fear the first time, regroup and try again. Each time you try, you'll learn something new that you can use the next time around.
You can also take your mind off your fears. Here are 3 good ways:
- Exercise. Physical activity boosts the immune system and strengthens the mind and body. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins that help promote a healthy mind and body. In the least, exercise can take your mind off your worries.
- Set goals. Take some time out of your day to set some specific, short term, and simple goals. The more you can complete, the more self-confidence you'll build. Self-confidence is a powerful tool for removing fear.
- Talk about it. Fears can multiply when you bottle them up inside you. When you let fear build, it snowballs and gets bigger and bigger until it becomes terrifying to you. Talking about it helps relieve the pressure and gives you the opportunity to obtain honest feedback.
Worries Are Fears, Too!
Let go of the habit of worry. Worry is a useless emotion and doesn't help you move beyond rational fear. Why? Worry always falls into one of two categories:
- Things you can't control. If you have no control over the outcome of a situation, why worry about it? You can't change or control other people. What will happen, will happen.
- Worrying won't make a difference at all in the situation. It will only add to your fears and prevent you from taking care of the things you can control.
- Things you can control. If you can control the situation you are concerned about, then it's simple: take action! If you're doing everything you can, then you no longer have any need to worry.
- Worry slows you down, makes you second guess yourself, and could even lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure.
Conclusion
In the end, here's what you need to know. Facing your fears head on will give you more self-confidence, provide valuable experience, and make you stronger. You don't have to be a slave to your fears. You can face your fears valiantly and triumphantly!