Many people want to know how to stop living in fear, and this is because fear can be crippling. It can prevent you from taking steps to help you progress and keep you mentally caged and physically helpless.
However, before we delve into combating fear, you need to know that fear is a natural phenomenon. It was designed and ingrained in your biology to keep you safe.
For example, fear causes you to be careful with sharp instruments, so you don’t cut yourself. It is also fear that prevents you from diving straight into the ocean to take a swim.
While these fears help you avoid mortal danger, another kind of fear can make you anxious about everything in your life. This fear prevents you from applying for that job, asking that love interest out or sleeping alone in your house at night.
Below are some ways to handle this fear that has kept your back on the ground.
10 Practical Tips To Stop Living In Fear
1. Trace The Root Of Your Fear
When you get to the hospital and complain to the doctor about constant stomach ache, even though the doctor gives you something for the pain, they also try to find the cause of the discomfort.
If you focus on dealing with the symptoms without treating the cause, the symptoms will reoccur. The same thing applies to fear. So the first step to overcoming fear is knowing the source of your anxiety.
So, why do you think your spouse would cheat and then abandon you? Did that happen to someone you know? Was that what happened to your parents, and now you feel the same would happen to you too?
Why are you scared of cats? Was it because of some dark story someone told you when you were little? Are you scared you’d lose your job because a colleague in marketing lost theirs? Trace the root of your fear, write it down and move to the next step.
2. Name Your Fear
The next step for how to stop living in fear is naming that fear. When you call that fear by name, you cause it to come alive; you force it to become tangible. It is much easier to handle the tangibles.
When you trace and name the root of your fear, you come to terms with what you are battling. So, what fear do you have? Is it the fear of failure? Fear of rejection? Fear of not measuring up? Fear of public speaking. Name it.
The next thing you should do is note how this fear manifests itself. For example, does the fear of public speaking cause you to stammer?
Does the fear of rejection keep you from taking chances and avoiding opportunities? When you discover the manifestation pattern, you can know what part of your behavior to modify.
3. Combat Fear With Facts
Some people say fear is an acronym which means: false evidence appearing real. And indeed, sometimes, when you analyze your fear logically, you find that it is all false evidence. Your fear is simply lying to you.
Battle your fear with facts. Let us assume that you are claustrophobic and afraid that the walls of the elevator or tunnel will close in and suffocate you. Ask yourself this, how many people has that happened to? Check the statistics available online. Ask people around.
You will find that, most times, what you are afraid of is impossible. Are you battling with the fear of failure? Do you know many people that have failed in that particular venture you want to go into? Well, don’t focus on one perspective.
Look to the other side of the divide. Aren’t there people who have succeeded too? Constantly confronting your fears with facts will give you control over your mind and, by implication, your fears.
4. Dwell On The Positives
Do you want to know how to stop living in fear? Then you have to cultivate the habit of dwelling on the positives deliberately.
You have to stop giving fear center stage in your mind. If you are a fan of the series Stranger Things, you will understand this better.
When the villain Vecna gained access to Max’s mind and tried using all her unhappy memories to kill her, her friends knew her favorite song. So they played it for her, and it helped her focus on happy times.
With that song playing in her subconscious, she could free her mind from the control of Vecna. You can apply this in combating your fears.
When those fears and demons come after your peace, chase them away by focusing on the things that make you happy. Think about the times you have conquered other worries.
Think of your other wins. Think of other good things that have happened or are happening in your life.
Dwelling on the positives will help you fight off the fear. There are many advantages of focusing on the positive and you can see them here.
5. Trust Your Abilities
The fear of failure or poor performance might be the primary reason you are yet to do or start what your heart desires.
You have that tiny voice at the back of your mind constantly asking, “What if you fail?” “What if you fall?”
You can switch the narrative to you asking the questions instead. Ask your fears, “What if I fly?” “What if I succeed?” Often, we get fixated on what could go wrong and forget that there is also a possibility of things going according to plan.
Give yourself credit for once. Despite all the challenges life throws at you, you have come this far in life. You were meant to be here. So, have a little faith in your abilities. Take that bold step if you want to know how to stop living in fear.
6. Face Your Fear
Here is the thing, the more you avoid something because you are scared of it, the more your fear grows.
So if you want to break free from the shackles of fear, you must rise and face your fear squarely.
In psychology, there is a type of therapy used to combat phobias known as exposure therapy.
Here, the person is gradually exposed to the object of their fear till they become less scared of that thing. A lot of people have been able to overcome their phobia with this method.
So, what is your fear story? Stage fright? Start by practicing in front of a mirror. After that, try speaking before your siblings and friends.
Next, take up minor roles requiring you to talk at work. You will notice that the more you expose yourself to speaking to others, your anxiety about it reduces.
7. Accept Your Limitations
While it is essential to dwell on the positives, we must be in touch with reality and the possible.
It is wrong to believe that you can do everything. No human being can. You can only do so much.
You do not have to try every business venture; you don’t need to attend every fitness class. So, here is what you need to do instead:
1. Think of what you can do and apply yourself to work in that area.
2. If you see someone doing well in another field, congratulate them on their feats and focus on your lane.
3. Accept that a particular activity or field is not for you.
This way, you reduce anxiety and pressure to perform and live your best life.
8. Remember There Are Things You Cannot Control
This may come as a surprise; most of our fears are tied to the simple fact that there are things that we cannot control.
For example, you are afraid of asking for that promotion because you cannot control your boss’s reaction.
This is because your interest in the role does not automatically mean your boss would see you as the best fit for the position.
You are afraid of speaking to a crowd because you cannot control how the public would react if you stutter or miss your line.
Every human is born with a natural desire to be in control. But as we grow, we learn that we cannot always have what we want, and this creates panic and anxiety and fuels our fears.
A perfect remedy to stop living in fear is knowing that you cannot control everything; it is also knowing that lack of control is okay.
9. Confide In Someone
One of the ways to handle fear is to speak about it openly. No law says you must battle your fears alone.
If you have people you can talk to, those who can hold your hand while you fight your fears, by all means, reach out to them.
You can join a support group where you can get pumped up by the courage of your group members. Alternatively, you can hang around people who are not afraid of what you are scared of. This will help you face and fight your fears.
If you need professional help, especially if you are battling phobias, get the services of a licensed therapist. As was mentioned earlier, exposure therapy works for people with a phobia.
10. Set Up Visual Reminders
Never underestimate the power of visuals. What your mind constantly is exposed to slowly becomes your reality.
So, after you have figured out what makes you afraid, you should also tell yourself that you can defeat that fear.
Whenever it comes up in your mind, let it know it has no power over you. Next, you should write out your positive affirmations.
Write them on sticky notes and place them around your room, kitchen, dashboard, and workstation.
Let those positive affirmations be the first words you see when you wake. Then, enable them on your PC and mobile devices. Let them remind you that you can win over your fears.
How To Train Your Brain To Stop The Fear Response
If you were wondering how to train your brain to stop the fear response, you can do this by practicing mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the ability to stay grounded, aware, and present in any situation.
If you are afraid of the future, you can practice mindfulness and liberate yourself from the anxiety of what tomorrow brings.
Be fully present, celebrate and enjoy today’s win. Revel and soak yourself in it.
Thinking about tomorrow may bring fear and cause you to be overwhelmed. Instead, focus on the now and leave tomorrow’s worry for tomorrow.
How To Remove Fear From Mind And Heart
One of the effective ways to remove fear from the mind and heart is by practicing breathing exercises. This can be very instrumental if you have stage fright.
Pretend the crowd is not there. Breathe in and out. You can also do this breathing exercise anytime you are feeling overwhelmed. You will realize that your heartbeat begins to drop and normalize the more you do this.
Another thing you can use to combat fear is exercise. You can plug in your favorite song and shut out the world while you run. You can go to the gym and sweat it out.
Alternatively, you can do some yoga. These will help you relax and release feel-good hormones that cancel out the fear in your mind and heart.
How To Overcome Fear Psychology
If you want to know how to overcome fear psychology, you must learn how to tell your fears the truth. Your fear is lying to you. What you fear is usually not as bad as your mind makes it seem.
So, you are having a panic attack about an interview, and your mind tells you that your life is doomed if you fail the interview. Once your mind projects this thought, you start panicking. In this situation, here is what to do.
First, breathe. Second, tell yourself the truth. Will your life be over if you fail that interview? Does your life start and end with the interview? You have been coping without that job.
How is that all of a sudden what your life is dependent upon? When you challenge your fear like this with facts, it will crumble.
Conclusion
Fear comes for us all, both great and small. So, don’t beat yourself up if you discover that you are afraid. What matters ultimately is how you handle it. To know how to stop living in fear, you must be ready to confront that fear.
The more you hide from the fear, the more it controls you. For those who fear failure, it is essential to note that you might fail, which is okay. It is all part of life.
What matters is what you do after failing. I hope that this article is instrumental in your journey to becoming fearless.
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