Fear gets to the best of us, whether it is fear of failure, fear of success or even fear of fear (yes all those things are real!). 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 can’t hold you back forever, if you don’t let it. There are several ways to overcome fear, here are my top 9…strap in!
1. Separate reality from perception
Ask yourself what’s really going on. Locate the facts and work out what’s real and true and what is you catastrophising and projecting something far into the future that hasn’t even happened yet.
2. Identify the trigger
Figure out what it is about the situation that is triggering you. Learning to identify it will help you learn to combat it. Awareness is key here, so that you can pre-empt the fear.
3. Know where fear lives in your body
A lot of times, fear takes over physically and 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. Eg: if you hold stress in your back, you can learn stretches, foam rolling, etc. to avoid the pain. I hold stress in my neck and back and a good massage works wonders for me!
4. Practice gratitude
Everyday, list out 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, will help you have the courage you need to do the scary thing.
5. Listen to your inner voice
Monitor your inner conversations. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it to yourself. Speak positively to yourself and remind yourself of your strengths and say a big “thanks but no thanks” to your Inner Critic.
6. Create a new connection
Remind yourself that the feeling and the moment will pass. Focus on the positive outcome of the situation, rather than the scary in between or a future that you’ve envisaged where everything goes wrong.
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/fearful thought you have? Work on reversing this one thought. Over time, this will become a habit.
8. Practice breathing exercises
Breathing helps centre your body; when you stop breathing, your heart stops beating. You can do a grounding exercise, or even just take 5 deep, long breaths at any point to calm and centre yourself. It is best to start your day with this, but feel free to practice all day long.
9. Create a safe space
When you feel safe and secure, there is no room for fear. Find somewhere safe you can retreat to when ill feelings begin – whether this is a real place such as your bedroom, or a place in your mind such as the beach. This sense of comfort will soothe you and allow you to face your fear.
Please keep in mind, these are just 9 strategies. Not everything works for everyone. But this is a place to start. Start implementing these techniques into your life and don’t let fear hold you back from reaching your goals and your highest potential this year!