Fear is something that even the most resilient of us have experienced at one time or another, whether it's fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of change, or fear of fear itself. We can even fear success, sometimes without even realising it, which can be particularly challenging to work through and can really hold us back from achieving our goals.
Thankfully, there are several tried and tested ways to overcome fear, but like any strategy for long-term and effective change, they involve commitment and practise. Here are a few:
1. SEPARATE REALITY FROM PERCEPTION
Take time to consider what's really going on. Identify the facts of the matter and try to rationalise with yourself by shifting your focus on to the truth of the matter, rather than on your unfounded feelings of worry or dread.
2. IDENTIFY THE TRIGGER
Think about what it is in a situation that triggers you. Learning to identify the trigger will encourage you recognise what might usually happen next and help you to nip those feelings in the bud.
3. KNOW WHERE FEAR LIVES IN YOUR BODY
Often, fear can be felt physically. It affects different people in different ways, so it's important to identify how it affects your body and then work on alleviating those physical symptoms. For example, if you hold stress in your shoulders, you can learn stretches, self-massage etc.
4. PRACTISE GRATITUDE
Gratitude is such an essential component to well-being and really helps to quell negative feelings; fear is no exception. Take time to focus on what's good and right in your life. Everyday, identify three things that you're thankful for; it doesn’t matter how big or small they are,. Gratitude helps to shift your mindset into a positive, optimistic one, which over time, can help to combat fear.
5. MONITOR YOUR SELF-TALK
Listen to your inner conversations. When you find yourself being critical of yourself, try to reframe those thoughts by focusing on your strengths, skills and attributes.
6. CHANGE YOUR FOCUS
Remind yourself that the moment and the feeling will pass. Try to identify and focus on a positive outcome of the situation, rather than the uncomfortable/confronting/overwhelming in-between.
7. PRACTISE OPTIMISM
Optimism can lead to more positive emotions and the reduction of fear, and, luckily, it's a skill that can be learned. Start practising with just one thought. Try to identify one recurring pessimistic/negative/fearful thought you have. Work on reversing this thought by replacing it with an optimistic/positive/fearless one. Overtime, this will become a habit.
8. PRACTISE BREATHING EXERCISES
Breathing helps to calm your mind and centre your body. Simply taking a few, deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, can help quell feelings of fear.
9. CREATE A SAFE SPACE
Identify a place where you feel safe and secure which you can retreat to when you begin to recognise the fear creeping in . The sense of comfort will help to soothe you and give you more confidence you face your fear.
These are just a few ideas, but it's a great place to start. You can start with one or two and gradually identify what works best for you. Remember, any kind of positive change takes work, but your future self will thank you for it!