What we fear the most is also what we are afraid of. It’s a natural human response to run towards what makes us feel safe and away from things that scare us, but sometimes you need to take a step back and turn your fears into strengths. We will discuss ten strategies that can help you do just that.
1) Take a step back
Our lack of understanding and knowledge about the things that scare us can cause them to seem more threatening than they are. This is why it’s so important to take a step back before you try to tackle something that makes you uneasy or self-conscious – this will allow you to view your fear from an objective point of view rather than through the lens of your insecurities.
2) Stop, look, and listen
When you feel like something is holding you back or that it’s the reason why things are not going your way – take a step back. This can be difficult to do when they’re happening in real-time, but taking some time away from them will allow you to gain clarity on what might be causing these feelings of fear and anxiety.
3) See it for what it is
When you’re able to look at your fears without the added pressure of feeling like they are restricting or inhibiting you, then that’s when real change can happen. If there was no reason for them in the first place – let them go! It might feel difficult and unnatural at first because we’ve all become so accustomed to living in fear, but it’s important that we try.
4) Think it through
One of the best ways to gain clarity on your fear is to really think about what you’re afraid of and why. Once we understand that our fears are not as threatening or dangerous as they may seem, then we can begin using them for good! For example, if you have an intense fear of public speaking – turn this fear into a positive by using it as motivation to become an effective and engaging speaker.
5) Turn it into a game
Those who are not afraid of failure become the ones that push themselves to continue learning and growing. This is why turning our fears into games can be so beneficial – they allow us to see them in terms of accomplishment rather than pain or discomfort, which makes dealing with whatever we’re facing much easier.