Did you know that fear was actually an acronym? For many, it’s “forget everything and run” while for a few, it’s “face everything and rise”. However, like most things in life, it’s up to us to choose the way we define our fears. Many of us remain elusive of our truest potential because we are crippled by fear of failure and isolation.But the individuals who excel are not defined by that fear.
On the other hand, there are quite a lot of individuals who push themselves to break away from the shackles of fear. They become trailblazers in life in their respective roles. We end up reading about them often but our anxiety stemming from fear limits us from pursuing excellence.
Ways To Face Fear And Rise Above It
It takes courage to own one’s fears. Just like any emotion of joy, envy, and sadness, fear is also very much normal. But it’s not alright to be overpowered by any emotion. Here are some feasible ways to face your fear and rise above it in day-to-day life.1
1. Acknowledge And Accept It
When fear strikes, adrenaline surges in the body. This causes you to choose between fleeing or freezing due to it. Only a few people choose to fight the fear. At this moment, even when your body is in overdrive the best thing you can do is take deep breaths. With each inhalation and exhalation, visualize yourself to be bigger than whatever scares you.
Daily practice of meditation can strengthen your mental power and heighten your clarity. Practice this every time you feel anxious due to fear and gradually you will see that you are not so restricted by it anymore. Don’t run away from fear because that’s cowardice and will leave you forever incapable of rising above it.
2. Make It Your Life Coach
On the other side of fear lies your destiny. Many a time, the things we fear the most are very things we must do to get ahead. In the process of overcoming fear, we are crossing hurdles that we thought would be too great. Say yes to at least one thing you are scared of on a weekly basis. This doesn’t mean you should resort to violence like exploitation and vandalism.
Fear can many a time keep us from being reckless to our life as well as that of others. However, fear that’s limiting you from becoming an authentic version of yourself should be directed to motivate you.
3. Don’t Let Fear Use You
We tend to create associations out of people, places, and incidents that trigger certain emotions. Fear too can be linked to a past event of loss or trauma. It’s natural to grieve the loss and be fearful of the situation that caused it. But, if you feel you are unable to move on from the incident due to fear of the future, then you need to face it head on.
Fear causes the mind to form stereotypical thoughts about race, culture, sex, religion and much more. Understand that you have to give life a chance rather than relying on your own hindsight. Intense fear breeds hatred and cowardice, both of which are emotional baggage. Unload them or else they will drain you out.
4. Be Open To Uncertainty
Many of us are fearful of the future and that’s precisely how anxiety begins. It’s almost certain that to a huge extent, the future remains largely unknown. But, you can definitely ensure that regardless of how unpredictable the future is going to be, you won’t be affected by it.
Practice minimalism in your lifestyle and compassion with everyone so that tomorrow when you encounter something you weren’t ready for, you can still be your confident self.
5. Journal The Way Fear Changed You For The Better
Just like any journey of recovery, life before and after fear will be drastically different. It’s important to make a note of how you changed from within as a person when you decided to face your fears. Journal what your fear taught and how you made peace with it. Share your lessons with the world and it will surely be a silver lining in somebody else’s life.
Ultimately, facing your fears head on is what you would need to do to fulfill your purpose in life. Consider it as a nudge from the universe to become courageous and resilient. Once you have overcome it, you would experience an unshakeable feeling of empowerment as an individual.2
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