how to overcome your fears

How to Overcome Your Fears: The Zenful Approach

The Definitive Guide on How to Overcome Your Fears

We all have fears. Whether you have a fear of the unknown, fear of death, fear of failure or anything in between—it is completely normal to have fears. For many learning how to overcome your fears can be a seminal moment in our lives that can open up many opportunities for health, wealth and contentment.

 

While some fears are completely healthy and normal in small doses, there are certain fears that can start perpetuating negativity in your life. These fears can cause you a great deal of stress, anxiety or more serious mental health concerns.

 

In situations like this, it is so imperative that you are able to learn how to overcome your fears and regain control of your life. Doing this will not only help you find some peace of mind and some clarity in your life, but it will also help you live a better life as well.

 

If you have ever dealt with serious fear before, you know that overcoming your fears is often much easier said than done. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. We have created a guide that can help you learn how to overcome these fears for good.

 

Step One: Defining Your Fear

You cannot overcome your fears until you are able to define them. You need to be able to be honest with yourself and really be able to state what your fears are. No matter what it is that you are afraid of, you need to be able to define it.

 

You can simply write it out, if you want. All you need to do is state “I have a fear of _____.” Defining your fears will help you be able to focus on what exactly you need to battle or overcome. This will also help reveal a lot about who you are and what you are afraid of. This will also help you determine the best plan of action moving forward.

 

If you are able to define your fears, you will be able to define your goals  moving forward.

 

In addition to being able to define your goals, you need to be able to understand this fear that you have, so that you can overcome it. You need to think about what causes this fear, and what causes it to come on.

defining fear

You also need to think about how this fear makes you feel. Some people just get some butterflies in their stomach and feel a little uncomfortable in regard to their fears. Sometimes, the fear is more serious.

 

For some people, their fears are almost debilitating and prevent them from participating in normal life. This fear can be overpowering and overwhelming—this is the type of fear that you really need to overcome.

 

In addition to defining it, you need to put your fear in context. Think about how it impacts your life, and whether or not it could be a potential barrier to your future success. This is essential to helping you determine the best possible plan for overcoming it.

 

No matter where you fall on the spectrum, you need to understand your fear, and understand how it impacts your life. The more you know about your fear, the easier it will be to overcome it.

 

Detach Yourself From Your Emotions

Emotions are part of life, and they can be really good and powerful things. However, emotions can cloud the way that you approach your fears. If you really want to overcome your fear, you need to stop focusing on how sad or scared you are—you need to detach yourself from your emotions.

 

You must admit you’re powerless over your emotions and detach yourself from these emotions. Emotions will only get in the way of you focusing on overcoming your goals. Instead of focusing on emotions, embrace the fear for what it is. You need to be tactical about your approach to overcoming your fears.

detaching emotions

 

How to Approach Your Fears Head On

Now that you have an understanding of your fear, how it impacts you and how it controls your life, it is time to approach that fear head on and overcome it. Armed with the information you have on your fears, it is time to approach these fears.

 

Before you start approaching your fears head on, it is important that you take your time. If there is one thing that tends to get in the way of people overcoming their fears, it has to be moving too quickly. Think about what you are doing before you put yourself out there—make a plan for conquering your fears.

 

There are so many people who are eager to jump in, head-first to get over their fears, only to find the approach doesn’t work. A trial and failure can only make the fear worse. You need to think long-term and you need to have a plan about how you are going to start facing what you are afraid of, so that it won’t impact your life any more.

Here is a photo of me over-coming what was once my greatest fear: The Fear of Heights! With the help of friends and the perfect circumstances I was able to overcome this fear by confronting it head on. I jumped out of a plane 🙂

Skydiving Fear of heights

 

Here are some tips to get you started:

  • Educate yourself. The more educated you are on your fear the better. After all, we don’t fear anything as much as we fear the unknown.

 

  • Practice and roll play. If you want to overcome your fear, you are going to need to practice and role play. For example, if you are afraid of public speaking, like many people are, you need to practice public speaking. You can practice in front of a small group of friends and grow the exposure more and more.

 

  • Remember that peer pressure can actually help. Peer pressure isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, peer pressure can actually help you push yourself and help you overcome the fears that are holding you back. For example, if you are afraid of heights, having a group of friends pressure you into skydiving can be a great way to face those fears head-on.

 

  • Try to get some perspective. This can be just what you need in order to really step up and overcome this fear. Think about how big of a deal your fear really is? It is preventing you from being the best version of yourself possible? Is it preventing you from being successful at work or with your personal relationships?

 

  • Get help if you need it. If your fears are really debilitating, there is nothing wrong with asking for help with facing your fears. A teacher, a coach, a friend, a parent or a therapist can all be great allies in getting help with overcoming fear.

 

  • Look to others for an example. One of the best ways to learn how to overcome fear is to look to others who have done it before. Talk to friends, read blogs or look to books specifically about your fears. While everyone is different, there may be a recipe for success when it comes to overcoming your specific type of fear.

 

  • Never underestimate the power of a positive attitude. A positive attitude can be your best ally in your attempt to overcome your fear. It can take time, and you may fail on your first few attempts, but if you keep staying positive and keep focusing on what your goal—you can see the results you are looking for.

 

  • Consider meditation. There are many people who struggle with overcoming their fears because of the stress and anxiety that come with their fears. Meditation is a great way to find peace of mind and to help you get the mental focus, and relaxation, you need to handle the stress that comes with meditation.

 

Fear is a normal part of life. And while some fears can be normal, healthy and even help push us to our goals—there are many situations where you need to be able to step back and start working on overcoming that fear. If you fear is getting in the way of your life, your relationships, your work or your success, it is time to put an end to it and it is time to take the Zenful approach to overcoming those fears for good.

 

fear of heights

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