Fear was once one of the benefactors of survival, a natural reflex that saved man’s life in many occasions and allowed him to evolve into what he is now.
Fear is also invaluable when your life is in immediate danger.
But what can we say about more “ordinary” situations ? Does fear help you get that job you always wanted? Does it help you achieve your goals and see your dreams come to live ?
Apparently, the answer is no, and that’s why it has become a necessity for people to learn how to overcome it.
5 Best Ways to Overcoming Fear and Making Breakthrough in Life
As you might have guessed already, fear acts differently in different people. Some get it all the time in the form of social awkwardness and shyness, while others function well in ordinary occasions but tend to really go over the edge when they have to do a presentation in front of a big crowd.
But no matter how severe your problem is, the ways to overcome it are often similar.
1. Learn Not to Take it Personally
Unfortunate things will happen, sometimes even against all odds and even when you’ve given your best. And when they happen , it’s crucial not to think things like “why does it always happen to me ?”.
Such thoughts would inevitably provoke a feeling of helplessness in you.
You need not to feel helpless, but rather to know that you’ve done your best and all that was left was to hope for a good outcome. Look for the positives in failure – you’ve learned new things, you’ve learned how to calculate odds better, and most of all – you were a fair opponent in the game of chances that is life.
2. Keep in Mind That the Ride is Going to be Bumpy
Seeing the world in black and white was all I ever did, until I realized that not only is that incorrect, it has no positive result on my life and career. In literature, movies and even in everyday communication people tend to exaggerate and make topics polarized.
You’re often presented with either “plus infinity” or “minus infinity”, but never in between.
Striving to see the “shades of gray” in everything , including your life, is crucial to becoming a fearless person. If you can only be either perfect or broken in your own head, then you wouldn’t be able to make any progress.
So do your best and avoid such parasitic thoughts.
3. Keep Yourself Busy
One of the “oldest tricks in the book” of being fearless is to try and get yourself so busy that you have no time to worry. Contrary to what you might think at first, this is actually possible and there’s a chance it has already happened to you.
If you’ve ever had to drive a loved one to the hospital for one reason or another, then you know how it feels: any other day you might be too distracted to drive, or consider yourself incapable of driving fast, but if it’s a critical situation you tend to give it your best and you’re so occupied with helping that you actually postpone your worry and try to think of the best.
So next time fear overcomes you, bully it with occupying yourself. Hopefully it will scatter
4. Find an Honest Friend and Try to “Classify” Your Fears
An honest friend would never lie to you. So if your fears are related to self-image, find a friend who can tell you the harsh truths. That way you’ll find out that many if not all of your fears are not grounded and are completely senseless and unworthy of your attention
5. Overcome Fear for Your Loved Ones
Ever wonder why when something critical happens, only one of the parents cries, while the other doesn’t?
Well, that’s not because one of them has a heart of stone, it’s because one of them knows that he or she has to be a pillar for the other, someone to rely on, someone to keep up the fight for, someone that provides support.
So if you can’t overcome your fears for yourself, try to do it for your loved ones, for your spouse or your children, for your friends and family.
Conclusion
“Fear the fear”, someone once said. And it’s exactly what you should do. Because the only thing that stops you from working towards a better “you” is yourself, and your own insecurities. Good luck in overcoming them!
Wanted to add something in the story, do in the comments!
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