Overcoming fear and worry wasn’t something that came easily to me for most of my life. After living this life for a few more decades, I’ve learned a few things along the way. That, and being blessed with the opportunity to learn more about the psychology behind worry through my training.
In this fearless living series, I’ll really dive into the subject to uncover the deepest struggles and how I came out on top so you can take the steps outlined below to help you too!
Overcoming fear feels impossible when you’ve had your fears for so long.
Have you ever woken up and realized that you have been afraid of one thing or another all of your life? It’s not unusual to compare each moment to something else in your past.
This becomes your reference point of comparison. Fear and worry become a habit when you practice these feelings long enough.
I know because this was me. Overcoming fear and worry was a goal of mine for many years. I was born into a life where there wasn’t the even the very basics of life. Food was hard to come by, my older brother resorted to stealing food when I was just five years old. Thinking back, even a hug was not a normal part of my life. I remember my first hug coming from a boyfriend that I dated when I was 16, it didn’t come from a family member.
These are “basics” which became my reference point which I compared everything. As I went through life, I held on to every single penny that I earned. I horded food because I feared there wouldn’t be enough. I never let any human get to know my true heart because I just knew that I would never be enough for them to love.
It took years to heal from these limiting thoughts and beliefs and honestly, I sometimes still have difficulty spending money because of being poor for so many years.
Finally overcoming fear and worry of the past only to trade them for another.
Have you ever felt like you were responsible for everything? Have you ever felt like you had to do things in an exact way so that everyone else would be happy? If you can answer yes to either of these questions it is likely that you have been worrying quite a bit.
After I had children I worried and feared that I wasn’t a good enough mom, that I wasn’t loving enough or giving enough. After all, I didn’t have any positive role model and doubted my abilities of being a parent and wife.
Many of those who worry all of the time have many fears too. Some of the most common fears associated with worrying include fear of failure, fear of not making others happy, fear of not being liked and more. Do you have fears and worry? If so, it is time for you to take a stand. You can start overcoming fear and worry through fearless living with some helpful assistance.
Why do people have fear and worry so much?
When living your life you grew up learning things from your parents, other adults like teachers and neighbors and even other children. The problem is that everyone perceives things in different ways.
Let’s ask this: Do you ever wonder why you are the only one of your siblings or in your family who worries as much as you do?
If you said yes there are some things you should know. When you grow up seeing things or hearing things, your brain and the way that you feel decides how you will process them. In your case, similar to many others, these perceived notions turned into fear and worry. When this happens, you grow up feeling like there is a switch that is constantly turned on activating fear and worry in your life. The excellent news is you can eliminate these worrisome thoughts and fears by training your mind; you can turn that switch off.
What are some ways you can train your mind in overcoming worries and fears?
The first thing to remember is everyone is going to have worries and fears from time to time but you can stop it at that. If you are ready to change your life there are some ways you can train your mind to get rid of worries and fears including:
- Challenge Your Worries and Fears: If you are like many others who worry on a daily basis and fear any of the things mentioned above you can start by challenging your worries and fears. When you start to worry about something, think about whether you have any facts to back up that worry. If not then it is just a thought. Challenge that thought by coming up with true facts about the situation. After you have done this you can change your worry into a positive situation or positive statement.
- Stand Up to Uncertainty, Accept It: Many chronic worriers can’t stand the thought of uncertainty. If this is the case for you then ask yourself is it possible to know everything that will happen, how likely is something bad to happen (if low, can you let go of that likelihood)? The more you ask these questions the more progress you’ll make in ridding your life of worries and fears.
Remember, you’re in control of your life. Fearless living is now making you feel grounded and stronger with a new outlook and mindset. With the tips mentioned above for overcoming worry and fear you now have a say in how your life turns out. Feels grand doesn’t it?
So in the pursuit of your fearless living journey, what small step could you make today to help you in overcoming fear and worry that have plagued you for years?