Fear can be your best friend or absolute worst enemy. You don’t have to feel embarrassed about it but you probably should do something about it if it’s affecting your life.
It may be one of the most difficult things you can ever do when it comes to facing your fears. There is no way to dance around them; you simply have to confront them and fight to regain total control. Of course, that’s easier said than done but if you have a plan, you may be able to overcome any fear easier than you thought.
The easiest way to conquer any fear is to take them one at a time before proceeding to the next one.
Here are 5 steps to conquering your fears without feeling afraid:
- Identify your worst fear. Either make a mental note of what it is exactly that you are afraid of or write it down. Be specific. If you are afraid of riding in an elevator, you might write something such as how you are afraid of getting stuck and how you are terrified of having the cables snap, causing you to plummet several floors to the ground. Once you have a clear picture of your fear. it’s time to go on to step 2.
- Research all the facts you can about the realistic dangers. Back up your findings with statistics if possible. For example, if you are afraid of flying, find out how much more likely you are to die in a car crash as opposed to riding an airplane. This information will put everything into context for you and it may immediately begin to help you experience some sort of relief.
- Relax as much as possible and try to clear your mind. Deep breathing techniques work wonders for this. Either sit in a comfortable chair or lie in bed and breathe in for 5 seconds using your diaphragm and exhale for 8-10 seconds. Repeat this 10 times.
- Begin rationalizing and being realistic. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” and follow that by answering your question, realistically. For example, getting back to the fear of flying, you might answer by saying, “Flying is so much safer than riding in a car and statistically, the worst thing that will happen to me is a loss of cabin pressure which can be taken care of by following procedures and instructions.
- Tell yourself you can change and beat any of your fears. By practicing a simple affirmation technique and telling yourself you can overcome anything, you will eventually do it. Be positive and don’t be afraid to take a step backwards before going forward once again if you have to. Never give up. You can do anything your set your mind to do!
The most important part of learning how to overcome any fear is to never give up and stay consistent in taking the steps to beat those fears. Think “eye of the tiger” and always have a winning spirit!
How do you overcome fear? Do you have any of your own special techniques that get results. Please let us know.
