How to Stop Fear & Start Living Your Dreams

Many people allow their fears to dictate their lives, resulting in a life of missed opportunities and unfulfilled dreams. There’s no denying that fear can be paralyzing.

Whether it’s fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or fear of public speaking, that little voice in our head can talk us out of anything. But what if you could learn to overcome your fears and finally start living your dreams?

If you’re ready to break free from your fears and start living your dreams, try these strategies:

1) Identify and confront your fears. First, identify the things that scare you—for example, public speaking, heights, or spiders. Once you know what your fear is, you can address it.

Think about what makes you anxious. Note situations that trigger feelings of fear and anxiety. Pay close attention and question the fear. Ask yourself why you feel this way. What is causing this fear?

Analyse the reasons you feel scared. List the reasons why the fear is not real and the consequences of this fear. How will fear affect your life in the long term? When you realise that fear will stifle your progress, you might find the courage to combat your worries and anxiety.

2) Make a plan to face your fear. If you can’t face it head-on, such as public speaking, start by doing small things that will help you build confidence, such as giving a speech in front of a mirror or practicing with friends.

If your fear is something you can confront directly, start by gradually exposing yourself to something it.

For example, if you’re afraid of heights, start by standing on a chair, then move on to a stool, and eventually work your way up to standing in a tall building.

The key is facing your fears head-on and taking small steps until they no longer have power over you. With time and practice, you’ll be able to conquer your fears and start living a more fulfilling life.

3) Take a series of incremental small steps to overcome your fear. When you’re working on overcoming your fears, it’s essential to set small goals that you can achieve to help you stay motivated and focused on your journey.

Start by setting a goal that is realistic and achievable. For example, if you’re afraid of public speaking, your first goal might be to give a speech in front of one person.

Once you’ve achieved your first goal, set a new goal that is slightly more challenging. For example, if you do a presentation in front of one person, your next goal might be to present in front of three people.

Continue setting goals that challenge you and help you build confidence. You’ll be one step closer to conquering your fear with each goal you achieve.

5) Change your thoughts. Fear is there to keep you safe and most of the time it's your imagination running wild that's causing the reaction. Just think about reaching for a big, fat, yellow lemon. Take the lemon up to your nose and smell it. Now cut it into wedges and pop one big juicy wedge into your mouth and suck it. Did you feel your mouth salivate? Yet there is no lemon. Your mind can't distinguish whether what you're thinking is real or imagine so when you start feeling the fear, interrupt it by changing your thoughts. 

Pay attention to your physical response to fear (increased heart rate, sweating, and other responses) When you feel anxious, breathe deeply, close your eyes and imagine a peaceful scene. Try not to focus on the fear. Focus on the tranquil setting instead.

6) Get the right support. Support from people who you know will want you to succeed in what you're trying to achieve and cheer you when you falter can help motivate you to keep going. Find a group of people who are facing similar challenges or goals. For example, if you are afraid of public speaking, you might want to try a toastmasters club. There are many like-minded online communities or local groups you can join. If the fear is causing you great distress, you can also get professional help from a therapist.

Fear can be a debilitating emotion that prevents you from achieving your goals and living your dreams, but it is possible to overcome the fear factor and start living a more fulfilling life.

By understanding your fears and taking small steps to face them, you can keep moving towards living the life you want and deserve.

If you want to overcome your fear so you can enjoy freedom and success, I have helped many professionals and entrepreneurs through my Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) and Coaching programs.