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I’ve watched many amazing people give up their dreams, not doing things they are meant to do in this world — making a difference, sharing their voices, shaping up future leaders etc. — all thanks to fear.

But always remember, don’t let fear hold you back in your career, relationships, and in achieving your dreams. It is nothing more than a lingering emotion.  On the other hand, danger is real. It is the uncomfortable adrenaline feeling that rushes up your spine when you are about to be hit by an oncoming vehicle.

Fear is a choice. It is the product of your mind that is fueled by your imagination. Though intangible, it is a strong feeling that exists and manifests itself in your daily activities.

“So how do people deal with fear?”…. Happy people know it best as they are addicted to the euphoric feeling when they conquer their own fears. So without further ado, buckle up your seatbelts as we are about to flip fear on its head and become fear-slayers with these 3 steps.

 

1) Acknowledge your fear

As cliché as it may sound, many of us have probably come across articles that ask us to acknowledge our fears. But are we really doing that? At this stage, you must really be honest with yourself. This step is usually the most difficult but it will pay off well at the end.

Determine what you are afraid of, whether is it rejection or walking out of a toxic relationship. You can either write it down in a journal and read it aloud or stand in front of the mirror, and ask yourself these questions “What is the worst possible thing that can happen to me?”, “Will it really kill?”.

With all that said, if you don’t take the necessary steps in conquering fear, in time to come, you will probably lament the chances you didn’t take far more than the feeling of fear you are facing now.

You should never ignore fear for any reason because you think if you ignore it, it will go away. It’s just going to come back louder. – Kristen Ulmer

 

2) Stay Optimistic

At this stage, you must help your brain to focus on the positive. Selecting something positive to think about helps to refocus your brain’s attention. Don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking. Positive thinking is a catalyst that is required to propel yourself through this journey of overcoming fear. When things are going relatively well, this step is simple. But when things are going poorly, and your mind is deluged with negative thoughts, you have to find a way to identify a positive thing no matter how small it is.

The point here is, you have to gain control and strip the power from negative thoughts. Positive thinking will come naturally to you after some practice.

 

3) Feel your fear

Stop thinking about your fear and try to ‘play a game of chess’ with it. It isn’t going to help you diminish your fear and make you feel better.

Instead, let fear be your motivation. Get in touch with it. Have a relationship with it.

Fear is going to show up a lot of times throughout your life. Let it be a journey and you will find yourself handling fear with ease.