I used to be so scared of public speaking that when I had to do presentations in front of the class in high school, my voice would get high pitched and shake the whole time.
It was so bad that I would even get nervous ordering food at a restaurant in a group of friends and family.
Then in college, I took a class on public speaking and learned that it was a skill, like riding a bike. It helped me overcome my paralyzing fear of public speaking.
Fear often stops people from trying new things and achieving what they want in life. If you’re struggling like I did, here are my tips to help you face your fears and overcome them.
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1. Acknowledge Your Fear.
One way to overcome fear is to acknowledge it. When I would get scared, I used to run away instead of acknowledge my fear.
I found out over time that this tactic rarely worked and even made it harder to face my fear. It’s hard to acknowledge your fear because it’s super uncomfortable and can leave you feeling vulnerable.
But once you are able to acknowledge your fear and move through it, and you’ll have a better chance of overcoming it so it doesn’t control you.
2. Identify Your Limiting Beliefs.
A limiting belief is something you tell yourself that isn’t true and often holds you back from taking action or going after what you want. Believing I wasn’t good or worthy enough would often trigger negative emotions like fear and anxiety.
For example, I didn’t go to my high school prom because I thought I would look lame showing up without a date. This belief that I wasn’t good enough to show up alone perpetuated a cycle of negativity.
Identifying your limiting beliefs can help to stop this cycle, and help you overcome a negative emotion like fear.
3. Forgive Yourself.
Forgiving is letting go of something wrong that was done to you. I haven’t forgiven every single person yet that did me wrong, but each time that I did forgive someone, I felt lighter.
The power that the act and the other person had over me would lose its grip and even disappear completely.
Forgiveness isn’t easy and you shouldn’t do it until you’re ready to.
With that said, forgiveness is not about absolving a wrong that someone did to you. It’s about letting go of the energy that kept you attached to it.
Forgiveness invites compassion for yourself and the other person, so that an emotion like fear no longer controls your life.
If you want to learn more about forgiveness, read The Book of Forgiving by Desmond and Mpho Tutu.
4. Practice Mindfulness Meditation.
Mindfulness meditation is a technique that helps you practice presence by allowing your thoughts and feelings to surface but not letting them control you.
I meditate in the morning for a few minutes before I go to work and it helps me train my body to be calm when I’m faced with a challenging emotion like fear.
You don’t have to sit down and meditate like I do. You can practice mindfulness meditation when you’re walking, cooking, or doing chores.
According to a study, mindfulness meditation can help to extinguish fearful associations through exposure therapy.
“This exposure provides an opportunity to learn that these stimuli are not threatening and thereby facilitate adaptive regulation of emotional responses.”
In other words, fear can be eliminated through repeated exposure to the fear. Your mind learns that the thing you’re afraid of is not a threat and you feel less scared over time.
5. Start Journaling.
Research shows that journaling can help alleviate stress and anxiety. I find the act of writing itself — even just putting words on paper — can have a calming effect on my body.
When I journal, it helps me release my thoughts and feelings on the paper. I always feel lighter and more free afterward.
While journaling won’t solve all your fear problems, it can help you get over your fear by exposing you to it through words on a page.
Journaling can give you more clarity about your fear, help you understand where it’s coming from, and provide a safe space for your innermost thoughts & feelings.
Last Thoughts On Overcoming Fear.
One of the hardest and most reward things in life is to face your fears and overcome them. It’s easier said than done, so you can overcome your fears through simple, tiny habits that acknowledging your fear, identifying limiting beliefs, and even journaling about what scares you.
More Ways To Overcome Fear.
When it comes to fear, mindset is everything because how you behave usually follows what you’re thinking. If you want to master your mind, read: 11 mindset hacks to master your mind and achieve your dreams.
If you want to take a deeper dive into what fear is, how it affects you, and even more ways to overcome it, be sure to check out: Fear in times of uncertainty and doubt and how to overcome it.
Do you have other ways to overcome fear? I’d love to know! Please share in the comments!
