We all have fear of something or someone. We all have periods of fear.
Misconceptions about Facing our Fears
Some of us mistakenly believe we have to get rid of all the fear and anxiety we have BEFORE taking steps forward. We keep waiting until we feel “comfortable enough” to risk facing our anxieties… and then our anxieties grow in power… and then we wait some more… and then our fears get even stronger. With each step forward, we reduce the size and scariness of our fear.
Fear gets in our way in a lot of different ways:
- It makes us isolate ourselves
- It convinces us to stay home
- It encourages us to be irrational
- It causes us to miss out on life
- It teaches us to be hopeless
Speak up about your fear:
- Come out of the “fear closet”
- Lose the shame
- Open yourself up for support
- Ask for help
- Make a plan to move forward
Make a list of the reasons why you want to conquer your fear:
- Reasons to do it, reasons not to do it
- Visualize the benefits
Know that as you move forward, with each small step, your anxiety will increase. That is normal. Don’t let it stop you… use coping strategies for both mind and body to reduce the power of the fear, and step forward.
Coping Strategies:
- Relax muscles… like cooked spaghetti
- Use positive self-talk messages
- Breathe mindfully
