According to therapists, coming to grips with your fears is the first step to living a healthy, successful life. Once you understand your feelings, you can face them head-on.
The problem is this: our comfort zones can be cozy, safe, and convenient. So, we remain where we are, letting our fears get the better of us.
However, by sticking only to what you know—day in and day out—your life starts to become smaller and smaller. Then, one day, you wake up and realize you’ve become someone who always worries and frowns and gets annoyed by little things.
Ultimately, that anxiety becomes chronic stress, which quickly turns into depression. At the end of the day, staying in your comfort zone can actually backfire.
In this post, we rounded up five ways fear can interfere with living your best life. Keep reading to find out what they are. Then, you can learn how to face and overcome each one of your fears.
1| Fear of Inadequacy
This is the most common fear every single person on this planet has suffered from. Almost every single situation you’ve been anxious about has, in one form or another, centered on your fear of not being ‘enough.’
Not skilled enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough—you name it. So, the first thing you have to tackle is feeling like you’re not enough. How do you do that?
You start by acknowledging your fear. Be honest about your feelings and recognize that everyone feels the same at one point or another.
We all don’t like feeling vulnerable and putting ourselves out there. Though the flip side of the coin is, many times when you do put yourself out there, you end up having a great time.
Plus, you get a chance to boost your self-confidence. Not only that, but you begin to appreciate everything life has to offer.
Remember: no one is perfect. You have skills other people don’t and vice versa. Take pride in your story because it’s what makes you you. That’s a priceless commodity.
Another thing you have to always remind yourself is you can’t control what people say about you or how they feel. You can control your reaction to it. Don’t give them power over you. And more importantly, don’t take their opinions personally. They’re almost always based on incomplete truths.
Don’t let your fear of inadequacy control your life. Instead, use it to make you more human and a bit more resilient. There’s no worst-case scenario in situations like this. No matter what happens, you’ll come out the other end having learned a valuable lesson.
2| Fear of Change
This quote should put a smile on your face: “People always fear change. People feared electricity when it was invented, didn’t they?”
Do you know who said that? Bill Gates. Without people like him, we’d be worse off, to say the least.
We’re not trying to simplify life’s ups and downs. We just want to show you that change can be good, illuminating, and exciting. It’s certainly worth it, despite all the knots in your stomach and your heart beating a mile a minute.
Yet, worrying about change and what might happen will only rob you of the joy of living your life. To learn to accept change, try some mindful meditation. It’ll help you learn to appreciate the present moment.
3| Fear of Failure
We’re so good at mapping out how our futures will look like. Some have even pinned it down to the smallest details.
While it’s nice to have a plan, some things will always be out of your control. There’s no way around it, no matter what you do or how much you plan.
Your life isn’t going to go exactly as you had dreamed it was going to be. To give you some perspective, few lives do, so you’re not alone.
What you have to do is identify the things you do have control over and direct your attention toward them. You also have to recognize all the good going on in your life, no matter how small you may think it is.
In other words, take the risk of pitching your idea to your boss or trying out a new class. If it doesn’t go the way you planned it, then don’t call it ‘failure.’
Call it being one step closer to success. As Richard Branson says, “Don’t be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”
4| Fear of Loneliness
Take a good look at this fear. Write your feelings down in a journal or talk to someone. Don’t leave them trapped in your mind where they can grow way out of proportion. That’s where they’ll start to manifest and transform into something 100 times worse than they actually are.
If you’re in a relationship, it can be easy to lose yourself in your partner’s world. You care for that person and you want to be there for them in every way you can.
Many times, this means you slowly let go of who you are to keep the relationship going. If you feel like you’re not being true to your values, likes, and dislikes, it’s time to take a step back.
Fear of loneliness can be scary. But you’ve made it on your own through countless difficult situations. Why would it be any different now?
When you realize you can overcome your fear, you can start enjoying life. Even if that means you’re no longer in a relationship. Never lose faith in your abilities and in who you are as an individual.
5| Fear of Rejection
Sometimes we worry that even if we put in 100% of our energy, we still might get rejected. Yes, rejection is a part of life. There’s no escaping it or running away from it.
When you feel your fear of rejection start to gnaw at your insides, remember J.K. Rowling. Her Harry Potter manuscript got rejected 12 times before one publisher took pity on her. Now, look at her!
So, when you’re embarking on a new chapter in your life and you’re worried about rejection, think about these tips:
- Allow yourself to feel hurt
- Practice self-care
- Know your worth
- Remind yourself this is only a bump in the road
- Spend time with people who love and support you
- Write out self-affirmations to put things in perspective
