Fear gets the best of us, whether it is fear of failure, success, or fear itself. All of us have experienced fear at some point in our lives, and it can be a 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 combat fear; here are my top nine:
1. SEPARATE REALITY FROM PERCEPTION
Ask yourself what is going on, locate the facts and place them over your feelings.
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 in 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. You can also consider a Reiki treatment. Reiki works on both specific ailments in the body as well as helping to balance your chakras, maybe your chakras are out of balance, and that is where the fear comes from.
4. PRACTICE GRATITUDE & PRIDE JOURNALLING
Every day, list out 1-3 things you are thankful for. It doesn’t matter how big or small; gratitude helps shift the mind into a positive light, overcoming fear over time. In addition, try pride journaling. I use this proven technique with my clients to encourage them to remember they can do hard things and do not need to be afraid.
5. LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE
Monitor your inner conversations. The Gremlin that pops up and tells you that you can’t, and if you do, it will fail. 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. When the Gremlin strikes, ask if what it is saying is true and provide factual evidence. Nine times out of ten, you’ll realise that the Gremlin is telling big porkies!
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 in between. If it’s not in your control, let it go and focus on what you do have control over – such as your thoughts and actions.
7. LOOK AT THE GLASS HALF FULL
Perception is powerful, 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. Over time, this will become a habit.
8. PRACTICE BREATHING EXERCISES
Breathing helps centre your body; when you stop breathing, your heart stops beating. You can do a grounding exercise or even take five deep, long breaths at any point to calm and centre yourself. It is best to start your day with this, but feel free to practice all day.
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 remember that these are just nine 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 highest potential. If none of these seems to work, you may benefit from external support, such as working with a coach or therapist. If you’d be interested in learning more about coaching with me and how I have helped others in your situation, have a read here and book a call or reach out.
Samantha is an intuitive healer and visionary who holds space for heart-centric souls to discover their strengths, find their true purpose and take bold steps towards living a life aligned with their core values and soul purpose. Through a fusion of psychology, spirituality, Human Design, Reiki Energy Healing, and two decades of business experience, Samantha has supported hundreds of people to find their purpose, live life with more flow, and build thriving businesses.
She is is a registered practitioner with UK Reiki Federation and CMA.
As a though-leader, her work has been featured in numerous publications and television appearances on BBC and Channel 5 News.
