How to Face Your Fears and Move Forward

"Researchers have found that “anticipatory fears,” the predictions we make based on our fears, can end up holding us back from taking action, and cause us to remain frozen in place. But when we can take a minute to pause and empower ourselves to move forward in those moments, we can unlock our potential.

Start with one small step

—Stacy Cassio, CEO, Charlotte, NC

Remind yourself how good you’ll feel afterwards

“One tip that I use to help me face my fears is reminding myself how good I feel after I face the fear. I always feel very proud and brave after completing something scary, and those are feelings I look forward to when I’m anticipating something scary.”

—Sarah Rudman, healthcare operations, Boston, MA

Write down what you’re feeling

“I find that most of my fear-based moments are just that: moments. When fear creeps in, it knocks my nervous system out of balance and anxiety kicks in. I’ve learned to lean into ‘this too shall pass’ which has helped me find my center in those moments of internal chaos. I take notes in my journal on the experience. Overtime, the notes have become research, and they help me understand the themes and roots of my emotional wounds.”

—Heather Colleen, writer, Los Angeles, CA

Use positive self-talk

“I recently faced the fear of speaking up for myself. I was being asked to take on a role that I was not comfortable doing. First, I took a breath, and I then had a talk with my inner self. I said, ‘Gerry, you don’t want to do this so you have the right to say so in a positive way.’ I felt great relief in my heart that I stood up for myself. I find it more effective when I actually use my name in my self-talk.”

—Gerry J. Tucker, author and HR consultant, Austin, TX

Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“One of the tools I have learned to use when fear creeps up is the deconstruction method — the one that says: ‘What’s the worst that can happen? They say no?’ The instant I replace fear with this logic, a feeling of instant release chases the tensing and tightening up, away.”

—T.K., Atlanta, GA

Talk to a loved one about what you’re feeling

“When faced with fears and stuck, I first try to look inward and identify the source. If that’s too painful, I seek out someone who will listen without judgment or bias. This can be my coach, a therapist or a loved one. The worst thing you can do is hold on to your fears and allow them to grow and take over your entire life.”

—Joshua Miller, master certified executive coach, Austin, TX

Tap into your curiosity

“I learned a long time ago (and teach my clients) that the antidote to fear is not courage or bravery. It’s curiosity. So when I’m frozen by fear, I get curious. I use the sentence stem, ‘I wonder…..’ And complete it as many times as possible until my curiosity overwhelms my fear and I move into action.”

—Carolyn Mahboubi, certified master coach, CA

Think about what your fear is teaching you

“I’ve found that looking for a lesson in the fear is a fantastic motivator to help you to keep moving forward.”

—Nicola Harker, doctor and coach, Bristol, UK

Remind yourself to maintain perspective

“One tip that has helped me to face my fears is reminding myself that if the situation goes wrong, it is not the end of the world, and that situation does not define me. It is only one page in the book of my life.”

—Connie Washington, VP of people, UT

Focus on the end goal

“When I am overcome with self-doubt and find myself retreating from sharing my voice and work, I use visualization as a tool to move through my fear. I spend a few minutes each day imagining how it will feel to have a project come to life, or to reach a goal that feels unreachable. I don’t focus on how I will get from here to there, but rather on how it will feel once I get there. The feeling of possibility and excitement motivates me to move forward, no matter how big my fear appears.”

—Emily Madill, certified professional Coach (ACC) and author, Nanaimo, B.C., Canada"

Read the complete article available at Thrive Global!

Reflection:

Do you have fears that you need to face? How do you plan on doing so?

#Fear #Anxiety #Coping