10 Ways To Face Your Fears
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Fear holds us back as much as it protects us.
Beating Fear Takes Time and Habit Building. But Anyone Can Do It!
So here’s the question, is fear a good thing or a bad thing? For some of us, it’s crippling, it locks us in our homes and our apartments. Or hits us in the gut with social anxiety, holding us back from reaching goals, identifying our true purpose, or pursuing what we want on this short trip in life.
I get the mental health issue we face in our society, depression, and anxiety, and for those of you that don’t feel it, it’s all very real. Those feelings don’t even allow others to think they have a chance to climb out of their comfort zones. But, climbing out of our comfort zone allows us to realize we can face and beat our fears. And by beating our smallest fear, pushing one step past our comfort zone, allows us to grow personally and gain confidence in ourselves. From there the sky is the limit.
Before you read on let me say this, you are not alone. You are here, read and believe. These tips will help, put them into practice, make them habits, start small, but more importantly, START!
“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
Here are 10 effective ways to face and finally dominate fear, anxiety, and any other mental obstacles in your way toward personal growth and self-actualization.
10 Ways to Face Your Fears
Identify Your Fears
Maybe it’s social anxiety, or maybe it’s an irrational fear of moths. Perhaps you’re terrified of heights or flying, or even getting out of bed in the morning. Whatever your fears may be, face them by making a list and being honest with yourself about what scares you.
Next, rank them from least frightening to most frightening. This should give you a sense of accomplishment as you work through each fear.
Once you have that list, you then make a conscious decision to start facing your fears and dominating them one at a time.
“We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets”
Remember, fear is not a bad thing. Fear keeps us safe. It keeps us alive. Fear is something we need to respect and in order to use it to our advantage, we need to completely understand it.
At Prepare To Act, we practice what is called, Active Self-Protection or the concept of staying consciously vigilant. Dominating our fears is part of that process that will automatically help to improve your life and secure your safety.
2. Decide If Your Fears Are Rational or Irrational
Some fears are rational, some are irrational. Once you have your list take a look at each fear you’ve listed and ask yourself, is the fear justified? Then put a plan in place to beat it.
Once you’ve found a fear that is real to you, it’s time to think about what it would mean for your life if that fear was gone. For example, let’s say that snakes/spiders scare you; how would your life be different if they didn’t scare you? Would you become more confident in social situations?
Take a minute to envision what it would be like if THAT fear was no longer an issue for you.
What’s the one thing you wish you could change about yourself?
Maybe it’s your body, your personality, or your level of confidence. The truth is that making any sort of lasting change usually requires facing something in yourself that’s holding you back from achieving what you want—whether it’s fear, a lack of self-confidence, or negative thinking patterns—and working to overcome it.
3. View Your Fears As Opportunities
If you approach your fears as opportunities for personal growth, you’ll feel much more empowered.
You’ll know that however terrifying a challenge may be, it presents an exciting new way for you to expand and improve yourself.
In fact, even if you don’t succeed at overcoming your fear entirely, having tried will likely still make you feel better about yourself and add to your overall sense of self-confidence.
So don’t let fear hold you back—embrace it!
4. Practice Being Uncomfortable
Our fears are just a product of our imagination, as most fears never come true. What’s more, facing our fears can help us build self-confidence and personal growth.
One way to overcome fear is to practice being uncomfortable — that’s why challenging yourself to do things you normally wouldn’t can be a great way of conquering your fears.
Try getting outside your comfort zone at least once a week by doing something completely new: try a yoga class, hold hands with someone you like, or eat at an exotic restaurant.
Don’t let opportunities for self-growth pass you by—challenge yourself!
Understanding the boundaries of our comfort zones can be an eye-opening learning experience. No one likes to be uncomfortable, but the more time we spend feeling uncomfortable, oddly, the more comfortable we become.
Push up against your boundaries. Start to question them and poke holes in the logic that keeps them weakly held up. Distinguish self-limiting boundaries from the boundaries that serve you well.
Force yourself to be uncomfortable and personal growth and self-confidence will absolutely follow.
5. Try Doing New Things
Fear of failure is natural, but if you’re truly afraid of doing something, it might be because you don’t actually know how to do it.
The best way to conquer fear is through self-confidence. Before you can grow your self-confidence, though, you have to face your fears and develop a sense of personal growth and power in life.
It takes courage to try new things, so take small steps. It may be that you fail every time you try something new, but as long as you are learning from those failures, you are ultimately moving toward becoming a better version of yourself.
In fact, studies show that people who intentionally set out to try new things often end up happier than those who refuse to leave their comfort zones!
25 Ways To Build Self-Confidence
Take a hike (literally)
Plan a day trip to a local landmark
Take a spin class
Go biking outdoors (rent one or take advantage of a local bike-sharing program)
Meditate
Sign up to be a dog-walker on an app like Wag!
Foster a dog (or cat!)
Go to your local shelter and adopt a pet (make sure you’re ready for a big commitment like this, first!)
Volunteer at a local animal shelter
Mold and glaze your own pottery
Take a photography class
Write a poem
Start a journal
Read a book
Join a book club
Try out a new restaurant
Look up a new recipe and get cooking!
Get a massage
Compliment five people today
Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line
Volunteer your time somewhere it is needed
Turn off your phone for one hour
Go see some live theater
Go to a movie alone
Check a challenging item off of your bucket list
We got these ideas from a post on poised and professional, Coaching With Alyssa Austin. Check out her website and full post here.
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6. Challenge What You Believe About Yourself
Sometimes, it’s not others that prevent us from facing our fears…it’s our own self-limiting way of thinking. Somewhere along the way, we may have formed beliefs about ourselves that feel real, but are not necessarily true.
Let’s dig deep here and get really curious about how these disempowered ideas or assumptions came to be. Here are some ways to do that:
Try something you’ve never done before.
Change something small in your daily routine—or switch it up entirely for a week—and then see how you feel about it at the end of your challenge.
Do something that makes you uncomfortable every day for a week or two (not just on weekends).
Get out of your comfort zone once a month by doing one thing that scares you.
Tell someone what you fear and why; face those fears together with friends and family, who might have words of encouragement to help bolster you as well as suggestions for facing those fears better next time around.
Think realistically and rationally about things that make you fearful; maybe they aren’t really things to be afraid of after all!
Reflect on past experiences that made you afraid; consider if there was anything you could do differently next time to alleviate some of that anxiety.
Talk through your fears with a friend or partner so they can listen and empathize without passing judgment—they probably have some experience dealing with their own fears!
Engage in some mindfulness practice, like yoga or meditation, which will train your brain to focus less on thoughts about your own worries and more on the present moment as it is unfolding before you.
Remember that facing our fears head-on can lead us to greater fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness down the road. After all, we don’t get anywhere if we don’t face our demons first.
7. Talk About It With Others
If you’re going through a difficult time and looking for support, reach out to friends and family.
Talking about your fears with people you trust is one of the most effective ways to face them head-on and get them under control. After all, there’s no better way to conquer fear than by facing it directly.
But before you go spilling your guts out at every social gathering or random encounter, make sure those you’re sharing with will be supportive and understanding of your fears.
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8. Prepare Yourself Mentally & Physically
When you want to face your fears head-on, it helps to be both mentally and physically prepared.
First, try meditating or visualizing yourself going through whatever activity initiates a fearful reaction. It can take a while for your mind and body to catch up with each other—so even if it feels awkward at first, don’t be discouraged!
Eventually, imagining yourself doing something scary will get easier. Once you feel comfortable facing hypothetical versions of your fears, move on to physical preparation. Meaning, do things that make you slightly uncomfortable so that they start feeling normal (like touching a spider).
The more often you do these things, the less anxiety they’ll evoke in future situations.
Internal Resource: Gut Instinct - Combining Intuition & Analysis To Make Better, Quicker Choices In Your Life
Tapping into your intuition and analytical skills can help manage fear and improve decision-making.
9. Act Before You Think. (Fight or Flight Response).
Fear and anxiety are our mind’s way of warning us about potential dangers in our environment. Our fight or flight response kicks in when faced with a life-threatening situation, causing us to react without thinking (our sympathetic nervous system takes over).
The same can happen in situations that aren’t dangerous but scare us—like public speaking. Fear can be debilitating, but it doesn’t have to keep you from doing what you want. You can beat fear by training yourself to act before you think—to do instead of think as Richard St. John so eloquently put it.
By acting before we think, we train ourselves to not let fear stop us from achieving our goals.
Check Out: How To Stop A Stalker In Their Tracks
In situations where quick action is necessary, having a plan can make all the difference.
10. Ride It Out
This may be easier said than done, but if you’re facing a fear of heights or fear of public speaking, I would highly recommend taking a deep breath and getting on that amusement park ride or giving that presentation.
The sense of accomplishment and adrenaline you get after conquering your fear will give you an extreme sense of empowerment. This will make it much easier for you to face those fears again in the future.
There’s nothing quite like facing your fears head-on!
Learn More: How to Develop a Safety Mindset Without Living in Fear
Balancing awareness and courage can help you face fears without letting them control your life.
“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do”
Like anything in life, facing and beating your fears takes work, and a conscious effort to get and be stronger.
With self-confidence and self-awareness building personal growth combined, doors of opportunity will open. With more growth comes better days, and a clearer mind that will help accomplish what you want, discover your purpose, and create your own story.
I hope this post was helpful, at the least to get you thinking about the fact that you can beat anything. Check out our post on the importance of developing your Gut Instinct & how it can keep you safe.
Gut Instinct - Combining Intuition & Analysis To Make Better, Quicker Choices In Your Life
Powerful Books About Facing Your Fears
FAQs: Facing Your Fears
1. How can I start facing my fears if I don’t know where to begin?
Start small. Identify your fears and rank them from least to most intimidating. Begin with the least scary and gradually work your way up.
2. Why is it important to challenge my self-image when facing fears?
Self-limiting beliefs often hold us back from tackling our fears. By challenging these beliefs, you open yourself up to new possibilities and build confidence.
3. What if my fears are too overwhelming to handle on my own?
It’s okay to seek support. Consider speaking with a therapist or joining a support group to help you navigate your fears with guidance.
4. How can mindfulness help in overcoming fear?
Mindfulness keeps you grounded in the present, reducing the impact of anxious thoughts. It helps you stay calm and make rational decisions when facing fear.