18. Diet. Did you know that the food you eat can have a
dramatic impact on how you feel? All the sugars, additives, sweeteners, and
other chemicals in our foods have a surprisingly powerful effect in getting our
body out of balance. Stick to a clean diet that suits you. Meaning, more fruits
and vegetables. Just eat a bit more each day. See what happens.
19. Positivity. Whenever fear strikes, flip it over. Instead
of thinking of something bad that can happen, think of something
positive. What’s a positive outcome to your fear? If you’re thinking
about public speaking, imagine yourself being wildly successful instead of
failing horribly. This is very similar to #9, but with a small twist.
20. Perspective. Learning to deal with fear is all about
putting your negative thoughts in perspective.
We tend to focus too much on the negative, so by looking at all the options,
you often realize that you’re making a big deal of nothing. There are so many
things that can happen that it’s impossible for you to predict. We aren’t
psychics.
21. Surrender. Surrendering to what is is powerful, because
as long as we try to change what is, we are in war with reality. To learn more
about how to surrender to what is,
22. Your Story. We all tell ourselves a story about our fear.
If I’m afraid that no one will like my writing,
I tell myself a story (in my head) about how I’ll fail horribly, people will
laugh at me, or even worse, no one will read what I have to say. What’s your
story?
23. Release Control. We want control and predictability, even
though it’s impossible to get. Where we don’t have control, we experience fear.
But is it possible to ever have control? Even if you can swim, you can drown. A
professional guitar player can still make mistakes and butcher a gig. Give up
the illusion of control, and you’re free.
24. Help. Be kind to others. If you’re shy, focus on
helping people instead of being self-conscious about how you look or sound when
you talk. Flip it on other people and make yourself feel good. This is very
similar to #16.
25. Meaning. I believe we all go through things for a reason. That includes the fears we
have. It also includes overcoming fear and learning the lessons that come out
of it. This may not be the case 100% of the time, but when I look back at the
challenges and fears in my life, I see that more often than not, they delivered
exactly the message I needed at that time.
26. Model. I’m not talking about modeling clothes here.
I’m talking about finding someone who had the fear you have, but managed to
transcend it. Get in touch with them, ask them how they did it, and see if it
could work for you.
27. Pray. I’m not religious, but if you are, you may
want to consider praying for guidance on how to start overcoming your specific
fear. Prayer is very similar to meditation. In the end, it doesn’t matter what
you choose, as long as it works for you.
28. WTWTCH. What’s the worst that could happen? If you’re afraid of public
speaking, imagine yourself on a stage with everyone laughing at you. How do you
feel afterward? You’re still alive, aren’t you? Life goes on.
29. Yoga. Energy can get trapped in your body. When you do Yoga and breathe, that
energy can be released. Sometimes you release parts of your fears, or you might
even find that you’ve dropped a few fears without even noticing after a few
months of Yoga.
30. Ask. Your feelings are there to tell you
something, ask what the purpose of them is. Ask your heart, God, the universe,
or whatever you feel comfortable with. What are your fears trying to tell you?
31. Understand Failure. When you realize that failure is not the end
of the world, you become free. Failure is just a stepping stone to success. And
most of our fears are fear of failure, shame, or somehow not living up to the
standards society has put up for us.
32. Explore Your Roots. What is the root of your fear? This may require some meditation. Look inside and ask yourself when the
fear started. If you’re afraid of public failure for example, when did it
happen? Where you shamed in public when you were younger?
33. Breathe. Your breath can set you free. It can anchor
you in the now and help you vanquish and overcome your most pervasive fears. I
saved it for last, because it’s one of the simplest and most powerful ways of
overcoming fear.
And Please Remember
Whatever fears you’re facing, remember that the
only thing that matters is that you listen to yourself, and your inner GPS.
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