- Do you procrastinate?
- Do you hold yourself back from moving forward?
- Do you make excuses for not doing some of the things you really want to do?
Hmmm! Ever thought why that might be? Fear perhaps?
Seriously, we’ve all been there at some time. Kicking fear to the curb is not an easy thing to do. Fear retains us from living. It convinces us that we can never accomplish our dreams. It has the ability to limit our actions, what we are willing to try and paralyse us in our tracks, making us to lead a smaller life.
But fear is not totally a bad thing, it exists for our protection as an early warning signal, but there is a big difference between the fear that keeps us from absolute mortal danger and the fear that keeps us from living our life. Lets have a look at some tips and techniques that can help you manage and overcome fear that is holding you back.
Know if and when your fears are irrational
Fear is a survival instinct that helps us avoid danger. But irrational fears, those that stop us from doing things that carry little to no actual risk will just hold us back. You have to learn to differentiate between the two. So, think about the reasons behind the fears, ask yourself if it is a caution or irrational fear, and focus on the positive.
Create structure
Having things organised and structured gives us a level of comfort and security as we know what to expect, it lessens unpleasant surprises, makes it less likely we will worry about what might happen. So, if you take control of what you can, you will have a good starting place from which to face the things you can’t control.
Be prepared
One of the reasons that we worry about doing things is that we feel unprepared. Learn to prepare, because when we attempt a challenge without adequate preparation, our anxieties kick in and we are more likely to fail. A proper preparation can give you the confidence that you need to obtain your goals. Be careful though, you don’t need to be 100% prepared, that will likely cross the line to perfectionism, another way to avoid moving forward.
Overcome overwhelm
If an activity or a task or a process or a goal appears too unsurmountable, unattainable, just way too big that you can never achieve it, break it down into smaller chunks. Only think about each successive step. You will build up your confidence as you overcome each small step.
Connect with others
All fears, no matter if they are big or small, are worse when we face them alone. Find a good friend or someone from your family to share your fears with. Someone you can trust and who can be able to see what you’re afraid of in a new light. If you feel fear is taking over and you don’t have someone to share with, think about a life coach or counsellor.
Face your fears
As scary as that might be, try and actually face your fears. Let go of looking stupid, feeling embarrassed, being ignored and facing failure or rejection. Accept the failure as a part life and get through it and over it. Allow yourself to feel it, and then do it anyway. Act in spite of your fear and treat is as a challenge for personal growth and an opportunity to become stronger.
Practice, practice, practice
Do the thing you fear over and over again. By doing it repeatedly it loses its power over you and you become less vulnerable to it.
If after these tips and techniques, you are still struggling, contact me and we can chat about options such as life coaching or energy healing that could get you back on the right track. Also keep an eye out for new courses on the website and our growing range of ebooks.
