Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live without fear? To look your fears in the eye and stop giving them power over your life.
What if you learned how to start new projects head-first? What if you had faith in yourself every time you tried something different?
Today, we’re going to show you how you can do just that! With a bit of willpower and determination, you can tap into your most fierce self and ditch your fears.
Let’s get started.
Let Fear Be Your Friend
If you think about it, fear is there to help us recognize danger. It’s a perfectly normal feeling that’s meant to keep you safe from harm.
Fear goes back to prehistoric times when we either had to fight for our dinner or flee for our lives. Yet, this emotion hasn’t changed with the times. It’s still the same old prehistoric self, so is the effect it has on our nervous system. We still feel the same heart-thumping, adrenaline-pumping fight-or-flight response we used to way back then.
The problem is that nowadays, the situation usually doesn’t require any fighting or fleeing. They’re usually ordinary things like going on a first date or starting a new job.
To be able to get better control over your fears, you have to start embracing them. You have to learn how to turn your fear into your friend.
Yes, you’re afraid of public speaking. But if you don’t do the presentation at work, your snarky colleague will. Then they’ll get all the credit for it and probably a promotion as well.
Are you going to stand there and let them get away with it? Of course not!
Show Yourself Some Empathy
Studies show that we judge ourselves much harsher than we do other people. That stems from our fear of being rejected or not being enough.
Unfortunately, negative self-talk can make you physically sick. You become riddled with anxiety, you lose sleep, you gain weight. It can even lead to chronic diseases, such as heart conditions and obesity.
The only way out of this vicious cycle is to make a conscious choice. You have to choose to not let fear control your life.
No, your fear won’t magically disappear. But it will shift a bit. Your thoughts will change. You’ll see things in a different light.
Fear isn’t some sort of monster that can jump out of nowhere and drag you to your doom. Fear is generated by your thoughts.
You create your thoughts and, subsequently, your thoughts create your fears. Since you can control your thoughts, you can control your fear.
Draw Up An Action Plan
The secret to ditching your fear is patience. It’s okay to take it one day at a time. Jumping in before you’re ready can backfire and cause serious problems.
Start by creating a plan of small, actionable steps. Each step will bring you closer to tapping into your most fierce self.
Some incorporate exposure therapy into their plan. Others seek help with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Choose the method you feel most comfortable with. Even just taking small steps each day will make a huge difference in the long run.
Stay strong during this time because your mind will try to convince you to play it safe. It’ll try to get you to go back to your comfort zone.
Remember, change doesn’t come by itself. You have to have faith in your abilities and accomplishments.
Size Up The Risks
Fear stems from not knowing; not knowing how something works, tastes, feels—the list can go on forever. So, what can you do to stop being afraid so you can become your fiercest self?
Lots of things! Google whatever it is that’s scaring you. Find books that talk about it. Watch videos about it.
If you’re afraid of flying, evaluate the statistics. You’ll discover that, for air travel, there’s a fatality risk of less than 1%. That’s about 1 in 7 million or more.
How about fear of public speaking or fear of change? Well, you can’t study their statistics. What you can do, however, is talk to someone who’s been in your shoes. If that’s not an option, you can watch motivational videos on how people overcame these fears.
Knowing you’re not alone will help change your outlook for the better. It can also give you the push you need to face your fears and do the thing that scares you anyway.
