What would you do if you never again experienced the feeling of fear? Keep reading to find out how you can overcome your fear and use this experience to master your life.
Fear is a potent emotion. One that can stop you from being where you really want to be in your life.
Fear is so strong that it can affect your mind and your body.
Don’t worry; we’ve all been there.
The fear of failure, rejection, being broke, not being good enough, is all too common.
You’re human, after all.
But guess what?
You are the root cause of your fears. Thankfully, you are also the solution to overcome your fear.
But first, you need to understand exactly what fear is and where it comes from so you can overcome it.
Here’s how.
WHAT IS FEAR AND WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
Fear stems from feeling threatened.
Whether it’s emotionally, physically, or psychologically.
Fear is an emotion your mind creates. Sometimes it’s based on real events, but it’s all in your imagination most of the time.
And here’s the kicker…most of these situations you have spent so long thinking about and fearing never happen.
Different things trigger everyone’s fears.
What if I apply for this job and get rejected?
What if I fail an exam?
What if I’m not a good enough partner?
You see, the real problem is not the fear itself but more how your mind holds this information.
So, how the heck do you overcome it?
Listen, overcoming your fear isn’t easy, but it is easier than you think.
Here are four tips that you can try today.
Acknowledge and Embrace It
The first step is to acknowledge fear because actually, fear isn’t all bad.
In fact, fear can sometimes be good for you. That’s because fear can stop you from making silly decisions.
When you embrace fear, it gives you control rather than it controlling you.
Think of fear as a tool that you can use to help you create the outcome you want.
Acknowledging fear is a brilliant first step. Be proud of yourself.
Write It Down
Ok, this may sound a little cliche but writing things down is so effective.
Now that you have acknowledged fear, you can begin to break it down and process it.
It is an uncomfortable process? Totally.
Is it necessary? Absolutely.
Dig deep, and you will thank yourself later.
What are the things you fear most? Write them down. No matter how big or small, or stupid they may sound. Write it down.
By doing so, you are bringing it to light and out of your mind.
And once it’s no longer prowling around in your mind, you have given yourself the power.
Now, you can do something about it. Once you have written down all your fears on paper, you can rip it up, shred it, scroll it up and throw it in the ocean, heck you can do whatever you want.
You are in control.
Practice Gratitude
This may not be an obvious one, but trust me, it works.
Why?
Because gratitude and fear cannot go hand in hand, they are literally the total opposites when it comes to human emotion.
According to psychological research, gratitude is often associated with greater happiness.
Sure, it won’t drown out your fear completely, but it will lessen it.
Developing a sense of gratitude helps you to drown out fear. When you look on the brighter side of things, your brain works better too.
Gratitude helps your brain shift it’s attention to what’s working instead of what isn’t.
Practising gratitude is key; not only does it help you keep your fear at bay, but it makes you have a more positive outlook.
Which is great for your mental wellbeing.
Face Your Fear and Do What Scares You
Comfort zones are great, but they get you nowhere. Not in your professional life nor in your personal life.
The only way to grow and become fearless is to actually do things that scare you.
Listen, I’m not saying go jump out of plane here.
What matters is that you take action. Do you feel uncomfortable initiating a conversation? Do it.
In fact, there’s a science behind putting yourself in uncomfortable situations. It triggers the dopamine in your brain – you know the happy chemical.
Here’s the mind-altering thing, the dopamine only gets activated when you experience something new.
Basically, you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
The Bottom Line
Think about this way; you can’t fear something that you have already faced. So, embrace your fear, recognize it, eliminate it and watch your confidence skyrocket.
If you’re looking for motivation and support for your mental health make sure to check out We Level Up and make sure to subscribe to Ryan’s blog.