Overcome the Number One Fear

Overcome the Number One Fear

The fear is the biggest barrier in your success.

You might have skills, capabilities to reach there but your fear can be the only reason to stop you from going after what you truly desire. They can give rise to negative emotions like your chances of success are very low that you don’t even try.

Fears are complex and cunning, they can be deep-seated and they are often sub conscious, which means the state of being unaware of what holding you back.

Certain practical exercises to help you get beyond it so you can pursue and achieve your goals.

Understand your triggers.

Is there is something obvious that you know you have fear of? Like the sight of a snake on a trail or of darkness? Figure out everything that triggers your fear and try to understand it because more you know and try to understand better are chances to face it.

Question the power the fear holds over you

Does your fear holds you back from keep moving and growing. Is it the reason that you don’t go to family functions or you won’t get on a plane? If anything like this happens to you then figure out what power your fear have over your mind and behavior. Learn to fight from your fears as you hold the biggest power in you, don’t think too much. Learn to face the situations as you are not alone, many people have several fears but if you learn to conquer over them, then you might become the motivation for others.

Identify false beliefs

 Many fears are based in false beliefs or catastrophic thinking. It may be based on your ancestors or false society beliefs. Like when you see a spider a sudden thought came that spider may harm you and then you will die. Identify these patterns and starts questioning them. Do some online research and understand the difference in actual and perceived risk. Start re- structuring your thoughts to not engage in catastrophic thinking.

Learn relaxation techniques. When your body experiences fear, lots of triggers ready your body for a “fight-or-flight” action response. Learn to override this response by counteracting with relaxation techniques. Relaxation tells your body that there is no danger and that you are safe. Relaxation can also help you cope with other stress and anxiety in your life.

Try deep breathing exercises.

 Focus on your breath, and start counting each breath: four seconds inhale, then four seconds exhale. Once this is comfortable, elongate your breath to six seconds.

Learn relaxation techniques. One way to do this is to clench all the muscles in your body for three seconds, then relax them. Do this two or three times to melt stress throughout your body. Relaxation will tell your body that there is no danger and help you to cope with stress and anxiety in your life.

Use your senses

One of the most reliable way to relieve anxiety is be engaging your one or more senses—sight, sound, taste, smell, touch—or through movement. But still it may work for you or may be not but do some experimenting to discover what works best for you.

Challenge negative thoughts about your phobia

When you have a phobia, you tend to overestimate the situations and start overthinking like how bad it would be if you are exposed to it or underestimate your ability to cope. These negative thoughts that fuel your phobias are usually negative and unrealistic. By writing your negative thoughts when confronted by phobia, you can begin to challenge these unhelpful ways of thinking.

Start seeing fear as an opportunity

Fear can also be a tool to help us identify problems and solve them effectively. It’s a red flag that warns us when something needs attention.

When you feel fear of something unfamiliar, take it as a sign that you need to get to know a person or situation better. If you feel a flash of fear then its an opportunity to make a plan of action to be prepared, it can be rehearsing a play or practicing a speech.

Overcoming the fear and anxiety will give you the 'spare capacity' in life to focus on what you really want to be and do. Though it takes efforts and might be little time but imagine the rewards you will be getting afterwards.