WHAT IS FEAR AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT
WHAT IS FEAR AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT
What is fear?
Fear is simply because you are not living with life, you are living in your mind. Your fear is always about what is going to happen next. That means your fear is always about that which does not exist. Fear is a common current that runs through all of our lives. And if we let it, fear can keep us locked up in the prison of the comfortable and predictable, which prevents us from reaching our true potential. Living in fear causes a double conundrum where your status quo is yet afraid to pursue anything better.
What causes fear?
People are always suffering about what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. Your suffering is about what does not exist, simply because you’re not rooted in reality but you’re rooted in your mind. Fear of rejection or fear that we are just not enough.
What are the symptoms of fear?
1. Feeling nervous, restless, or tense.
2. Having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom.
3. Having an increased heart rate
4. Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
5. Sweating
6. Trembling
7. Feeling weak or tired
8. Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry.
What does fear do?
Fear puts boundaries around you. It’s because of fear that you build boundaries all the time. Fear keeps you stuck in a self-perpetuating cycle of defeat and frustration. The upside to fear is that the emotions surrounding it are usually so unpleasant that they drive you to find another way. Do not let fear control you. There are many strategies for how to stop living in fear. From self-care to exercise to seeking professional help. When you commit to facing your fears, you can discover strategies to overcome them and find peace.
What are the three causes of fear?
Ø Darkness or loss of visibility of surroundings.
Ø Heights and flying
Ø Social interaction and/or rejection
Ø Snakes, rodents, spiders, and other animals.
Ø Death and dying.
How to stop living in fear.
1. Determine the source of your anxiety.
If you are living in fear, your anxieties have escalated to the point that they are running the show. You think about your worries constantly without much mindfulness as to what’s behind them. You must pinpoint what’s causing you distress. get a piece of paper and brainstorm a list. When you finished, circle the items that are a tangible concern.
2. Recognize that life happens for you
When you put an end to the blame game and start becoming the master of your destiny, endless possibilities open up to you. And when you see the world as a place of opportunity, with no obstacles, you don’t let fear control you. The reason for determining the source of your anxiety isn’t to give you an excuse to keep living in fear. Its t helps you assert power over those fears so that they no longer control you. Once you identify the source, you can change your story and as well as your mindset. You have a choice you can blame outside forces for your emotions and continue to feel out of control. Or you can take charge of your life and learn how to stop living in fear.
3. Stop Excuses
Blame and excuses are defensive mechanisms. We use to avoid facing our problems. It’s easy to push our hopes, desires, and dreams aside when we have excuses. We start to hide behind excuses instead of taking action to move forward. Excuses are comforting when we are living in fear. They are safe. But excuses will also bring you back to exactly where you started. Remember that the next time an excuse floats into your mind. Are you truly where you want to be in life? Or you are falling back on fear and choosing to be comfortable instead of facing a challenge? By becoming more cognizant of your brain’s proclivity for using excuses so you won’t be held accountable, the better you will become at dismissing them.
4. Turn “should” into “Musts”
In your mind, if you have no choice but to succeed – if achieving your goal Is an absolute must- then nothing else matters. Sacrifices won’t even be a question. The excess goes out of the window. You’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.
5. Adopt a growth mindset
People often give up on what they want because they believe that reaching their goal is beyond their abilities. They continue living in fear and settle into their lives, thinking that their goal is unattainable so they don’t even bother. Most successful people don’t think of their abilities as fixed, but rather as flexible. And when faced with a setback, they work harder. They adopt a new strategy. They keep seeking a solution. They don’t give up when things become challenging. Instead, they find new ways to adapt and work hard to achieve their goals.
6. Learn that pain brings valuable insight
There isn’t one successful person in the world who hasn’t had to overcome major obstacles. The most painful experiences can help refine what you want and what you don’t want in life. Failure, disappointment, and dead ends can be used as a means of reflecting and saying,” this didn’t work .it wasn’t the right fit. So, what do I want”? Remember we are built to adapt. so, embrace your inner strength and use each experience as a tool to help you learn more about yourself and what you really must have in life. When you’re facing a painful experience or feel ready to give into fear, picture someone you admire who faced adversity. They wouldn’t have achieved the success they now have without learning how to stop living in fear.
7. Practice self-care
Mastering your emotions and changing your mindset is psychological but would be surprised to learn that the psychological is also physical? Next time you feel like you living in fear, change your posture and adopt a “power pose. “It can make you feel confident and less fearful. Self-care habits affect your state as well. Physical activity is proven to reduce depression and anxiety, so the next time you feel fear coming on, get out and go for a walk. Practice yoga or take a bike ride etc. Mindfulness meditation is also proven to combat anxiety and depression and even lower blood pressure. Eliminating alcohol and caffeine from your diet is another self-care tip that is essential to lowering anxious feelings.
When you combine physiological and physical self-care. You have the recipe for how to stop living in fear.
8. Adopt an abundance mindset.
Fear cannot coexist with positive emotions. You cannot feel both scared and joyful, or afraid and peaceful. You can’t feel fear and gratitude at the same time. But you can replace one with the other, when you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears. You shift your focus from the negative to the positive. Where focus goes energy flows, so when you change your mind in this way, you find that you naturally bring more positivity and less fear into your life. Adopting an abundance mindset is key to unlocking how to stop living in fear. You can do this by keeping a gratitude journal. Practicing priming or meditation, using visualization, coming up with empowering incantations, and more.
9. Be fully present
When we are living in fear, we often also live in either the past or the future. We let our past mistakes haunt us and affect our future decisions. We live in so much fear of what could happen that we forget to enjoy what is happening. Reconnecting with toxic people and reminiscing about old relationships. When surfing the internet, it is easy to get caught fantasizing about your next relationship or vacation plans that will never manifest. Stop missing your life. Put your phone down. Step away from the computer. Take up a new sport or game. Meet people in the here and now. Start living instead of worrying.
10. Know that failure is inevitable
You will have to accept one truth: You will fail. It’s just part of the process. Failure provides insights and inherently corrects the faulty ways of approaching a problem. There is no teacher as impactful as the sting of failure and no lesion in resilience better than the burn of rejection. If you see the experiences as unique information, and adjust your strategy and approach the next time around, you will have an advantage that no one else does. With the right mindset, you can change your story and say goodbye to living fear. You have to decide that your dreams are more important than your fear of failure.
9 WAYS TO FIGHT FEAR.
These tips are for people who are coping with everyday fears.
Take time out.
It’s impossible to think clearly when you’re flooded with fear or anxiety. The first thing to do is take time out so you can physically calm down. Distract yourself from the worry for 15 mins by walking around the block, making a cup of tea, or having a bath.
Breathe through panic
If you start to get a faster heartbeat or sweating palms, the best thing is not to fit it. Stay where you are and simply feel the panic without trying to distract yourself. Place the palm of your hand on your stomach and breadth slowly and deeply. The goal is to help the mind get used to coping with panic, which takes the fear of fear away.
Face your fears
Avoiding fears only make them scarier. Whatever your fear, if you face it, it should start to fade. If you panic one day getting into a lift, for example, it’s best to get back into a lift the next day.
Look at the evidence
It sometimes helps to challenge fearful thoughts. For example, if you’re scared of getting trapped in a lift and suffocating, ask yourself if you have ever heard of this happening to someone. Ask yourself what would you advise a friend who had a similar fear.
Don’t try to be perfect
Life is full of stress, yet many of us feel that our life must be perfect. Bad days and setbacks will always happen, remember that life is messy.
Visualize a happy place
Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a place for safety and calm. It could be a picture of you walking on a beautiful beach, snuggled up in bed with the cat next to you, or a happy memory from childhood. Let the positive feelings soothe you until you feel more relaxed.
Talk about it.
Sharing fears takes away a lot of their scariness. If you can talk to a partner, friend, or family member, you could try a cognitive therapy approach over the telephone, with a service such as NHS living life.
Go back to basics
A lot of people turn to alcohol and drugs to self-treat anxiety, but this will only make matters worse. Simple everyday things like a good night’s sleep, a wholesome meal, and a walk are often the best cures for anxiety.
Reward yourself.
Finally, give yourself a treat. When you’ve made that call you’ve been dreading, for example, reinforce your success by treating yourself to a massage, a country Walk, a meal out, a book, a DVD, or whatever little gift makes you happy.
Tips to work through your fear and live your life.
§ Allow yourself to sit with your far for 2-3 minutes at a time.
§ Write down the things you are grateful for
§ Remind yourself that your anxiety is a storehouse of wisdom
§ Exercise/meditation
§ Use humoral to deflate your worst fears
§ Appreciate your courage.
I hope and pray this content will be of some help to my brothers and sisters. If you do, please do send me your love.
