Overcoming that Fear!

By Nishall Garala

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” ~ Nelson Mandela

The world can be a scary place. As we go through our daily lives, we face many challenges, and often these challenges can bring about fear. We may lose something, or perhaps the lack of fulfillment. We may experience fear when going on a job interview or a doing something for the first time.

These 5 techniques will help you overcome fear in your daily life:

1. Start small.

Fear comes in many shapes and sizes. Facing it doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. Instead of focusing on the end result, I focus on more manageable goals. No matter how large or small your fears may seem, scaling down to a more manageable size will be beneficial. Slowly step out of your comfort zone and begin moving towards your goal.

2. Have faith.

While achieving your goal may not happen on your preferred timetable, it is important to have faith that time will bring success. Trusting that achievement is not only possible, but probable will help soften your fears.

Think back to an event in your life that may have seemed bad at the time, but allowed for certain circumstances to occur that brought about a greater and more wonderful event. That’s proof that the world is not against us, but is indeed working with us.

3. Write it down.

Making a list of your fears is a great way to work through them.

I’ve found when writing down a fear and then describe on paper why I feel I have it. This task has been essential in helping me chart my progress and list what I have learned in the past. Writing has allowed me to accept that things are evolving, even if they don’t seem that way— which brings me to the next important technique for overcoming fear: acceptance.

4. Accept what develops (or doesn’t).

The Dalai Lama once said, “If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry.”

5. Let go.

Letting go can be one of the greatest challenges to overcoming fear. At times, we hold on to something because we feel it empowers us; however, holding on only weakens us.

Once we have accepted what may or may not develop, we need to detach ourselves from the outcome. Letting go of our fears allows us to focus more on the present moment and less on the fear itself.