Is fear holding you back from experiencing your best life? From achieving your hopes and dreams? From moving forward with an optimistic view of your future? From the belief that your life will ever get better? From experiencing better health and wellbeing?
If so, this post is for you, my friend. It is time you wrestle with your fear instead of giving in to it and letting it win. You can do this!
I learned a valuable lesson about “fear” that has really stuck with me. It takes bravery for me to even share it with you but I am going to so that I can impart this valuable truth to help you conquer your fears as well.
How I learned to be brave and overcome my fears
Just to give you a heads up, this is a sad story, and these details can be disturbing for both you to read and for me to write. We can practice our brave together here.
Steps to learn how to be brave and overcome your fears
- Acknowledge Your Fears: There is no shame in having fears. We all have them. But the first place to start overcoming them is by admitting we have them instead of suppressing them. Even if we push them out of our conscious mind, they have an effect on our subconscious mind and the effects will come out in some way, either emotionally or physically. Also, the more we avoid dealing with our fears, the more they grow and gain power over us.
- Bring Your Fears Into the Light: Share them with a trusted friend or family member. Sometimes this step alone can release the grip that fear has over you.
- Face Your Fears Head On: In other words, expose yourself to what you fear. In Psychology, this is called Exposure Therapy and it is one of the most effective methods of overcoming fear and anxiety. Dr. Noam Shpancer, a professor of Psychology at Otterbein College and a practicing clinical Psychologist wrote an article in Psychology Today about overcoming fear and he says, “Exposure isn’t easy. However, living in a prison of avoidance isn’t easy either, and it isn’t much of a life. The short-term discomfort of exposure is the price we must pay to purchase a valuable long-term asset–a life free from debilitating anxiety.”
- Practice Being Brave: Make a list of all the things you are afraid of. Rank them from the least scary to the scariest. Tackle the least scary ones first and work your way up the list. The more you do the scary things the easier it will become. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
- Celebrate Your Victories: Make a list of things you want to do for yourself to celebrate each one of these huge milestones and victories.
- Rinse and Repeat: What I mean by this is that there will always be new fears to conquer as we go along in life so this will be a continual process of working through all of these steps over and over again. This is our way of exercising our brave. The result is a life full of growth and opportunity because we have the courage to do and face anything.
Practical Tools to help you be brave and conquer your fears
I’ve created a few things to help you on your journey in conquering your fears. (Learn how to get your copies below the graphic or at the bottom of this post.)
- “Finding Your Brave” Journaling Prompts: This can help you explore all the things that are holding you back because of fear and how you can overcome them and live your best life bravely.
- “Be Brave” Print: You can print and frame this or post it somewhere to remind you to be brave.
Finally, let me leave you with some musical motivation to encourage you.
I love the words from the song, Brave by Sara Bareilles
“SHOW ME HOW BIG YOUR BRAVE IS!”
“Say what you want to say and let the words fall out. Honestly, I just want to see you be brave!”
What are you going to do to start conquering your fears and be brave? Don’t forget to grab the tools I put together to help you.
Wishing you Joy in your journey,
If you found this post helpful to you please pin it to your favorite Pinterest board to reference later. If you know someone who struggles with fear, share it with them. Sharing is caring!
FIND YOUR BRAVE
Subscribe to receive a copy of "Finding Your Brave-Journaling Prompts" to help you conquer your fears and live your best life bravely. BONUS Gift: "Be Brave" Print to display as a constant reminder. You'll also receive access to my password protected RESOURCE LIBRARY full of tools to help you in your natural health journey.
Laura,
Thanks so much for sharing part of your story. What a beautiful but heartbreaking post. My mother’s heart cries with you! I love the verse you chose. You have been so brave and your story gives hope to others!
Thank you, Miranda.