Overcome Fear, Anxiety, and Stress by Doing the Opposite

Fear is one of the most common human emotions. We all have things that we are afraid of. Many children worry about going to school or are afraid of animals or new activities. Adults commonly fear public speaking, interpersonal conflicts, flying, and many other things that we perceive as threatening or potentially embarrassing.

The common response to fear is to try to reduce it. If your child is anxious, you are naturally going to help him or her to feel better. If she’s afraid of the dark, you turn on a nightlight. If he’s shy, you hold his hand as you enter a room and allow him to hide behind you. While this is the natural response, it is often the least helpful response. By this process, people learn to avoid experiencing fear.

The more you avoid experiencing anxiety, the more your discomfort will grow over time. You will avoid facing your fear and eventually miss out on many important activities because you are living within your comfort zone. You will also miss out on learning that when you do allow yourself to experience the anxiety, it naturally goes away on its own.

My message to you is to push yourself to get out of the comfort zone you may be living in. You will then enter the place where your most tremendous personal and professional success will begin.

This is true in many areas of life. Think about when you first started dating someone. You may have had “butterflies” and nervousness. If you had avoided these feelings, you may have missed out on a wonderful relationship. You many have been uncomfortable with speaking up in class or at work. Yet when you confronted your anxieties, over time your confidence grew and your fear shrunk.

When you feel anxious or uncomfortable, tell yourself that those feelings are wonderful because that means you are pushing yourself to get over your fears, fully experience life, and become a more confident and complete human being.