9 Ways To Combat Fear

Fear gets to the best of us, whether it is fear of failure, fear of success or even fear of fear. All of us have experienced fear at some point in our lives and it can be a real stumbling block that holds us back from being truly successful. 

Fear can’t hold you back forever if you don’t let it. There are several ways to overcome fear, here are my top 9: 

Before I go through these, can I get real with you for a minute - fear gets to the best of us and the level to which it impacts us is largely up to us.  I was ill for a couple of days recently and for about 10 seconds I let fear get the better of me, and in only 10 seconds I was in tears at the thought of having cancer, leaving behind a wife, children, my parents, never skiing again, not getting to the Alps this weekend etc - now back to reality, I had a sickness bug - now who here can be honest and say they have never done this when they feel ill?   

Now some will be asking, so why did this only last for 10 seconds, ok probably nearer 20-30 seconds, but who's counting, the point is that I had to take hold of my thoughts using what I have been teaching for about 15 years as "the 3-second rule" which is as simple as whenever we have a rogue thought come into our heads we have to make a decision within the first 3 seconds to let it fester and manifest into something greater or to stop the thought by changing the atmosphere by such as getting up to make a cup of team, going for a walk etc.  The "3-second rule" can be used for good and bad thoughts as if we sense a new part of our dream coming into our minds, we may wish to stop what we are doing and allow the thoughts to develop, whereas if it is negative and likely to lead to a negative outcome, we would want to stop it in its tracks.  

If you have faith, then the Bible even talks about the "3-second rule" (ok not quite, but close!) in 2 Corinthians 10:5   

Ok, enough of my waffle, onto my top 9 ways to overcome fear 

1 - SEPARATE REALITY FROM PERCEPTION

 Ask yourself what is really going on, locate the facts and place them over your feelings.  Perhaps you need to change the glasses you are using to see things differently.

 2 - IDENTIFY THE TRIGGER

Figure out what it is in a situation that triggers you. Learning to identify it will help you learn to combat it.

3 - KNOW WHERE FEAR LIVES IN YOUR BODY

A lot of times, fear takes over physically. It affects different people different ways. Identify if/how it affects your physical body and do the work to take care of your body. Ex: if you hold stress in your back, you can learn stretches, foam rolling, etc. to avoid the pain.

4 - PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Everyday, list out 1-3 things you are thankful for. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, gratitude helps shift the mind into a positive light, which overtime, overcomes fear.

5 - LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE

Monitor your inner conversations. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it to yourself. Speak positively to yourself and remind yourself of your strengths.

6 - CREATE A NEW ASSOCIATION

Remind yourself that the feeling and the moment will pass. Focus on the positive outcome of the situation, rather than the scary inbetween.

7 - LOOK AT THE GLASS HALF FULL

Perception is a very powerful thing, and how you feel about your situation dictates how you respond. So think positively and you’ll give yourself a much better chance of success. This won’t happen overnight; practice with just one thought. What is one recurring negative/fearful thought you have? Work on reversing this one thought. Overtime, this will become a habit.

8 - PRACTICE BREATHING EXERCISES

Breathing helps center your body; when you stop breathing, your heart stops beating. You can do a grounding exercise, or even just take 5 deep, long breaths at any point to calm and center yourself. It is best to start your  day with this, but feel free to practice all day long.

9 - CREATE A SAFE SPACE

When you feel safe and secure, there is no room for fear. Find somewhere safe you can retreat to when ill feelings begin- whether this is a real place such as your bedroom, or a place in your mind such as the beach. This sense of comfort will soothe you and allow you to face your fear.

Please keep in mind, these are just 9 strategies, not everything works for everyone. But this is a place to start. Start implementing these techniques into your life and don’t let fear hold you back from reaching your goals and your highest potential this year!

Are there any situations where you need to make a change?  

Perhaps you have a habit, addiction or some negative thought patterns that you are not sure how or when to quit - DM me or check out the website www.reset-reimagine.com so I can have the honour of serving you in your path to freedom. 

Many guests have found the confidence, ability and inspiration to make a change and find freedom from a destructive secret habit by joining the The RESET Challenge - perhaps this could be your path to freedom and living your dream life again.

If you are struggling with the thought of making changes, or not sure where to begin, perhaps its time to try the The RESET Challenge - you can access the challenge by clicking the link below. 

Passionately in freedom

Jules

Founder The RESET challenge - Recovery Reimagined