Whenever I am challenged to do something that I have never done before, I get some form of anxiety! I’m sure you can relate. There’s nothing more upsetting than the feeling of wanting to do something but your mind is determined to be your biggest obstacle.
We can’t all be like those fearless extreme sportspeople or can we? Well before we think about that question I think we must ask “are they really fearless?” Yes, some are fearless and the rest have found ways to use their fear to their advantage!
Being fearful or cautious can help you make minimum mistakes and that’s a good thing, right? I think one of the best ways to overcome your fear is to work with it! Have you heard the saying “just do it”? “Just do it” is similar to saying “trust in the process”. Read about trusting the process.
The big question is “how do you ‘just do it’?” Sure you can try out some breathing techniques you’ve read about in a self-help book but what if breathing techniques don’t work for you? Breathing techniques do not always work for me so I have come up with backup techniques to help me win the fight against my fears. You can try them out too!
These are five unique methods I have used to give myself enough confidence to go through with things that may at first seem intimidating.
Overcoming fear in five ways
1. Learn about what you fear
Limit your chances of failing by doing your research about the task at hand. I’ve discovered that when I have given myself time to prepare to do something by studying and practicing before doing it, it became less scary. Learn how to stay consistent.
I recently learned how to swim in the ocean after being afraid to go any further than ankle deep water. Before attempting to go out into the deep end, I took swimming lessons, watched many informative Youtube videos, and wore goggles. Once I did these things, swimming in the ocean became less scary and I was able to swim with ease!
2. Accept the outcome of what will happen if you face your fear
If you are aware of the possible outcomes of going against your fear and have already prepared yourself to face your fear, accept that you can only do your best. What if it goes perfectly? What if it doesn’t? Either way, you can decide how to handle the outcome after it happens.
3. Give yourself a nice pep talk
Give yourself positive encouragement. Pump up your mind and body! Call a buddy to help you sort through your thoughts. Whether it’s saying affirmations or praying, find something that works for you.
Here are a few affirmations that have given me confidence:
- prevail with these positive affirmations for low self-esteem
- 15 Positive affirmations for consistency
Fighting back against all of the negative things your mind may tell you when you’re thinking about trying something new can be hard.
When my mind is telling me I can’t do something, I find it helpful to think about all of the times I was able to overcome my fears in the past and how I was happy about feeling the fear and doing the thing anyway!
4. Do less scary things first
If you have the time. Make a list of less scary things to tackle beforehand. Do those things first so you can gain the courage to tackle your bigger fears slowly.
For example, before I swam in a deeper part of the ocean, I practiced swimming in a pool first, then practiced in the part of the ocean where it wasn’t as deep. I slowly built up the courage to try the bigger thing I was afraid of trying.
5. Watch others do the thing you fear doing
Conquer your fear by watching the techniques of others! Similar to learning about what you want to attempt doing, you can also learn about people who have done the thing you’re wanting to do. It may give you a sense of peace knowing that many people have done the thing you’ve done. Knowing that it can be done by someone relatable lets you know that you can make the right moves to also get it done!
Now that you have five methods to conquer your fear, there’s nothing left to do but to practice
I’d suggest starting small. Whether it’s entering a local competition, trying to bake a new dish, or something as simple as waking up earlier than normal, you can become more confident in your ability to succeed despite your fears!
It takes trial and error before becoming great at something. When you see someone who is an expert at something, you can not guess the amount of effort they put into perfecting their skills. What we do know is that you can’t build up that amount of effort without taking the first step which is to try! I hope these methods were able to give you some confidence in taking that step!
Would you like to read some memorable quotes to help you conquer your fears? Check out 3 feel the fear and do it anyway quotes to help!
