10 Best Tips on How To Overcome Your Fears

This post covers a few helpful tips on how to overcome your fears. We all experience fear at some point which is a natural human emotion. It is important to learn how to overcome your fears, especially if they are affecting your life. The best way to overcome it is by facing it head-on.

Start by taking baby steps – remember Rome was not built in a day. Move the mountain one stone at a time and before you know it, some of these fears would be a thing of the past. But before I share my tips, it’s essential to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy fear.

Fear, Phobia, or Anxiety?

It can be upsetting to experience stress or fear, however, it usually passes once the source of the stress goes away. Because they are short-lived, there’s not much you can do here. Anxiety, on the other hand, is a more severe condition. When you find yourself in a high-pressure situation, it is normal to feel anxious. Sometimes you might have anxiety after a stressful event, for example, a car accident.

However, if you experience severe anxiety frequently, to the point where it affects your day-to-day life, then it is time to talk to a therapist or your physician. It’s possible that you have an anxiety disorder. Your doctor can suggest various treatment options. When you have a phobia, it means having an irrational fear of certain situations or objects.

Individuals with phobias can experience severe anxiety once they’re exposed to a particular situation or object – in some cases even when they just think about it. Common phobias are a fear of spiders, confined spaces, flying, or leaving familiar environments.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBD) is a form of psychological therapy that helps people in changing unhealthy or unhelpful behaviours and thoughts that exacerbate their anxiety. CBT involves seeing a therapist that assists you with looking at your cognition (thinking) and acting (behaviour) patterns that are the cause of your anxiety or that prevent you from improving once you’re feeling anxious.

Once these patterns are recognised, you can make adjustments to replace unhelpful patterns with ones that lower your anxiety and helps you cope better. CBT is a commonplace treatment for anxiety disorders.

10 Best Tips on How To Overcome Your Fears

Time-Out

It is impossible to retain your focus and think clearly when you are flooded with feelings of anxiety and fear. The first thing you need to do is take time to help yourself physically calm down. Take fifteen minutes and do something distracting like making yourself a cup of coffee or walking around the block.

Breathe

When you feel your palms getting sweaty and your heartbeat increasing, the best way to overcome the panic is to distract yourself by focusing on your breathing. Take deep slow breaths and keep the palm of your hand on your stomach until you feel you’re starting to feel calmer. The idea is to assist your brain with coping with the panic attack to remove that unsettling fear-induced feeling.

Face Your Fears Head-on

Trying to ignore or avoid your fears is not going to solve the issue – in fact, it will only worsen it. Whatever is causing you anxiety, it’s best to face it until it starts to fade.  Exposure therapy can help – it involves learning to face your fears by giving yourself the opportunity to learn more about them, and slowly getting used to them, whatever it is that you are afraid of.  Exposure therapy involves slowly and repeatedly going through these feared situations until you start to feel less anxious.

Think About The Worst-Case Scenario

Try thinking about what the worst thing is that can happen – for instance if you’re scared of getting a heart attack – try imagining yourself having one. It is not possible – your rational mind will show you this. The more you chase the fear – the quicker it will start to subside.

Good Old Fashion Exercise

There are many benefits to exercise for overall health, including mental and emotional health. A good workout can refocus your mind. Whether you go to an aerobics class, go for a quick stroll around the block, or do yoga at home, exercise can do wonders to help you feel more in control and grounded.

Think Happy Thoughts

When you start feeling anxious or panicked, take your mind to a place of calm and safety. Visualise a happy place, whether it is a childhood memory, your last beach vacation,  or imagining your four-legged child snuggled up next to you on the couch, allow these positive feelings to soothe you and bring you back to a calm and relaxed mindset.

Start By Taking Small Steps

Life can be hard and comes with its fair share of challenges. We all have setbacks and bad days, but it’s important not to allow them to take over your life. Take small steps and don’t try to be perfect. None of us are perfect – and we all do what we can, one step at a time.

Don’t Hesitate To Ask For Help or Talk About Your Fears

Sometimes all it takes to feel better is to reach out to a trusted friend or family member and talk about what you’re going through. They might have faced the same fears or troubles previously and can share their advice and experiences with you. If you feel that life is getting too overwhelming, there’s nothing wrong with getting professional help. If your anxiety and fears are worsening, you can speak to your GP and ask for advice and referrals. He or she can recommend people for psychotherapy or counselling.

Practice Self-Care

Many people reach for drugs or alcohol to calm their anxiety, but often it makes matters worse. Go back to basics – ensure you are following a healthy diet, get a good night’s rest, and do some relaxation activities like meditation, yoga, or soaking in a bubble bath.

Don’t Forget To Reward Yourself

Don’t forget to give yourself a reward once you’ve made progress. Reinforce your success by going away for the weekend, booking a massage, or going out for a meal, as long as you treat yourself and it makes you happy.

Final Thoughts

I hope you have found my post on tips to overcome your fears insightful and that you will give some of them a try to see if it helps you to reduce your anxiety and live a happier and more fulfilling life.

Sending you much light, love, and positive, calming thoughts.

Anthea