Our world is witnessing unprecedented times right now. From quickly being forced to adapt to a new normal as a result of Covid-19 to the new civil rights movement occurring in the United States of America, it is no surprise that every one of us has experienced some level of fear recently. It can be especially tough if you were already fearful of the future or struggling with overcoming fear to take the necessary steps to better your life and the lives of your loved ones. This type of fear is subtle and unnoticeable until it is time to step outside of your comfort zone. It is in these moments that the invisible face of fear rears its ugly head, stopping you dead in your tracks, paralyzing you from taking any action at all. The result is staying stuck in your current condition that you so desperately desire to escape.
If this sounds familiar in any way, I can relate. Spending many years fearful of what other people thought, felt, or what they may say kept me in a box, unable to move forward. Ironically, fear of judgment also ties in and is related to fear of failure, as well as fear of success, but usually, we aren’t made aware of how fear works and how to overcome it. The good news is there is a way to overcome fear by turning and facing it head-on.
Overcoming fear is not about ignoring it and pretending it doesn’t exist, for it is a very real emotion; however, it does not have to have control over any part of your life. Changing your perspective about how you view fear can shrink its power over you when you realize that fear is just an illusion. To be clear, it is important to state once again that fear is a true emotion, but that emotion is magnified by the stories that we tell ourselves, therefore, your idea of fear is much larger than fear itself, or that which you fear.
Overcoming fear is not a one-time event as fear creeps up on the best of us at the most inopportune times. The key is learning skills and techniques that eventually become habits that will assist you in dealing with fear each time it presents itself.
Again, I know exactly how it feels to have fear hold you back or keep you from accomplishing your goals in life and would love the opportunity to tell you how I overcame fear and provide you with the knowledge that helped me move my life forward.
Here are some basic steps to keep in mind when attempting to overcome fear:
- Acknowledge your feelings of fear. This will help you remain in control of your emotions.
- Recognize that it is only a feeling and can be conquered
- Determine what the core issue is (again, fear is the feeling, not the issue)
- Understand that fear is an illusion
Hopefully, these tips help you on your journey to overcoming fear. Once you are equipped with new knowledge, effective techniques, and develop the necessary skills to manage fear, you can and will see progress in every area of your life.
