Fear gets to the best of us, whether it is fear of failure, fear of success, or even fear of fear. All of us have experienced fear at some point in our lives and it can be a real stumbling block that holds us back from being truly successful.
Fear cannot hold you back forever if you don’t let it. There are several ways to overcome fear, here are my top 9:
1. SEPARATE REALITY FROM PERCEPTION
Ask yourself what is really going on, locate the facts and place them over your feelings.
2. IDENTIFY THE TRIGGER
Figure out what it is in a situation that triggers you. Learning to identify it will help you learn to combat it.
3. KNOW WHERE FEAR LIVES IN YOUR BODY
A lot of times, fear takes over physically. It affects different people in different ways. Identify if/how it affects your physical body and do the work to take care of your body. As an example, if you hold stress in your back, you can learn stretches, foam rolling, etc. to avoid the pain.
4. PRACTICE GRATITUDE
Every day, list 1-3 things you are thankful for. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, gratitude helps shift the mind into a positive light, which over time, overcomes fear.
5. LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE
Monitor your inner conversations. IF YOU WOULD NOT SAY IT TO A FRIEND – DO NOT SAY IT TO YOURSELF!!! Speak positively to yourself and remind yourself of your STRENGTHS!
6. CREATE A NEW ASSOCIATION
Remind yourself that the feeling and the moment will pass. Focus on the positive outcome of the situation, rather than the scary in between.
7. LOOK AT THE GLASS HALF FULL
Perception is a very powerful thing, and how you feel about your situation dictates how you respond. So think positively and you’ll give yourself a much better chance of success. This won’t happen overnight; practice with just one thought. What is one recurring negative or fearful thought you have? Work on reversing this one thought. Over time, this will become a habit.
8. PRACTICE BREATHING EXERCISES TO COMBAT ANXIETY
Breathing helps center your body. When we are fearful or anxious, we get breathless. In fact, the mind tells us we are dying because we cannot get a breath. This can lead to a panic attack! (We do not want it to get that far!!)
We must do a grounding exercise – just take 5 deep, long breaths at any point to calm and center yourself. It is best to start your day with this, but feel free to practice all day long.
9. CREATE A SAFE SPACE
When we feel safe and secure, there is no room for fear. Find somewhere or SOMEONE safe to retreat to when fear or anxious feelings begin- whether this is a real place such as a bedroom, or a place in the mind such as the beach. This sense of comfort will soothe us and allow us to face our fear.
Please keep in mind, these are just 9 strategies, not everything works for everyone. But this is a place to start. Begin implementing these techniques into your life and don’t let fear hold you back. Fear and anxiety can keep you from reaching your goals and your highest potential in the future! Do not allow that to happen!
WANT TO REALLY OVERCOME? – REFRAME!
Carl Rogers is my all-time favorite person-centered psychologist. He believed, and I concur, that when anxiety happens, instead of allowing it to get the upper hand, we can reframe the experience.
In order to reframe anxiety, EMBRACE it as an obstacle to overcome!! Instead of allowing it to dominate, debilitate, and exterminate our joy, we can re-imagine it, leading to positive change and increased self-esteem.
I will share more on reframing our moments in future blogs!
REFRAME YOUR MOMENTS!!!😊
EMBRACING OUR MOMENTS 