6 Ways to Break Free from Your Fears

Everyone experiences fear sometimes. It is a completely normal emotion, and it can be warranted during certain situations.

But for some people, fear can become debilitating, and play an active role in their everyday life. This is when fear becomes a big problem.

It can completely grab hold of how you live your life, and cause issues in your relationships, career, self-image and even your health.

The worst part? Fear is unpredictable. Everyone has their own ‘triggers,’ and it is not always clear what they are. Mostly, we fear the unknown or the ‘what ifs.’ You might consistently have a fear of perhaps losing your job, your health or the current state of the world. If these thoughts constantly run through your head all day, it can feel like you are waging a war on your thoughts.

Thankfully, there are ways that you can deal with fear and break free from the confines it tries to put you in. Let’s look at six helpful tips that you can use to release those chains of fear, and start living your life freely.

1. Don’t Feed Your Fears

If you know what makes you worry, don’t constantly feed it. What does that mean? The answer is different for everyone, since we all have different fears. For example, if you are worried about the current state of affairs in the country, don’t spend all your free time watching the news or seeking out negative world stories.

While you shouldn’t altogether avoid things like this, you shouldn’t let them consume your schedule. The less you feed your fears, the more you can keep them under control.

You likely know your triggers better than anyone, so take a look at what they are, and consider what you can do to give them less fuel.

2. Get the Facts

Many times, our fears are based on our perceptions of things. We worry about things by guessing, or without concrete evidence. Rumors are terrible triggers for fear. You can find reassurance by getting more of the facts.

For example, if you are worried about medical issues, don’t do a quick search for your symptoms on Google. Instead, go to a doctor and get whatever tests might be necessary to assuage your fears or give you some concrete answers.

3. Change Your Focus

When you focus for too long on your fears, they can become a reality. That is when it becomes easy for them to take over your life completely. Instead, do what you can to change your mindset and focus on something positive.

A good place to start is by focusing on your goals. Create exciting goals for yourself and make them crystal clear and easy to follow, so you have a pathway to focus on. The more attentive you are toward those goals, the less room fear will have inside your head to take over.

4. Find Support

One of the most important things to keep in mind if you are struggling with your fears is that you don’t have to do it alone. You might be worried that your fears seem irrational or silly, so you want to keep them to yourself. Unfortunately, that will likely only make things worse.

The people closest to you, like family or friends, may be able to help you see things from a different perspective. If you’re fearful of something but you know you have a support system, that particular worry may not seem so daunting.

Even being able to talk to someone about what you are scared of can make that fear seem less overwhelming and give it less weight. You don’t have to struggle with the suffocation of fear on your own. Having people who care about you to talk to can make a big difference.

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5. Get Moving

Exercise is truly a huge key to dealing with a lot of mental health and wellbeing issues. While it cannot solve every problem in the world, it can certainly help when it comes to calming down your fears. Exercise helps to increase blood flow throughout your body, including your brain. Getting physical can boost your energy levels and your mood.

On top of the scientific benefits of exercise, it also works as a great distraction. Sometimes, the best way to stop fear from taking over is to get it off our minds for awhile. When you are working up a sweat, you are probably not going to be thinking about what you’re scared of.

You don’t have to get in extremely intense workouts in order for exercise to be effective. Things like yoga, or even meditation can make a big difference in how you feel, and they can calm down your mind and body significantly.

6. Face Your Fears

Do you want to really get over a specific fear for once and for all? Try facing it head on. This is an age-old piece of advice, but it stands the test of time because it is so effective. You can clear the uncertainties swirling around your thoughts by giving yourself a concrete answer one way or another.

Acts of doing nothing lets your mind become clouded and lets fear take over. By taking action against it, you are also taking control of your thoughts once again.

Breaking Free and Moving On

The idea of getting over the fears you face in life can feel intimidating at first. But, it isn’t fair to allow yourself to be held captive by your own thoughts and worries. Fear can become a crippling thing if you allow it to grow and fester, no matter what it is you may be fearful of.
By using the resources in this article, you can overcome your fears, and live beyond the chains of your own worries. Again, a little bit of fear – even fear of the unknown – is normal in life. But, if you struggle with fear taking over almost every aspect of your thinking, it is time to break free. The good news? You are not alone, and letting go of these fears is not impossible.