The worst form of fear is fear itself

If you allow fear to be your life’s managing director, you might end up stuck without making any progress at all. Fear is an unpleasant feeling of perceived risk or danger. The perceived danger may be real or unreal. People fear exams, heights, insects, talking before a crowd, getting into a relationship and taking risks among other things. It can be fear for a pending interview for a job or for a student the examination period can cause shivers into someone to the extent of failing them while in actual sense you would have passed them. Being fearful does not necessarily mean that you are weak. However, don’t let fear hold you back from doing whatever you want to do. Keep the focus on what you are trying to do and believe in yourself. The cloud of fear will pass with time as you move on with your plans. When you are overwhelmed by fear, try to calm down. You can take a walk, listen to soothing music or read something interesting. After you have calmed yourself down, you will be in a better position to contemplate on the best way to cope with your fear. Whatever the situation that is causing fear, try to look at it as an opportunity to practice and learn new things. Some fearful situations can help you to be tougher minded and more focused. They can help you be more willing to take risks. Talk to somebody about your fears. A problem shared is a problem half solved. Make sure you share with somebody who is trustworthy, caring, honest, empathic and understanding. This helps to take away your scariness. You will get some positive feedback to help you conquer your fear. Think about the reality of your fears. You might be scared to death of paper tigers that are harmless and unreal. In most cases, fear tends to be worse than the reality. What is it that you are afraid of? Maybe you are just having a bad day, maybe it is all in your head. Get real. The fact that you have been hurt in a relationship before does not mean that everybody you get into a relationship with is going to hurt you. There will always be good and bad people in life, good and bad days, so fasten your seat belt, you will be okay. Avoid drug abuse as a way of coping with fear. When faced with anxiety and fear, some people turn to drugs and alcohol. This might lead to drug addiction, which is a serious disease. To avoid being controlled by fear, always think about the worst thing that can happen to you. As a matter of fact, the worst thing that can happen is to have an anxiety attack, which requires medical attention. Don’t allow yourself to get to this stage. You have been through many scary situations in life and you survived them. You will survive this one too. Don’t run away from fear because this just makes you more scared. Give yourself an opportunity to feel it until it fades away. When you are finally able to handle a fearful situation, reinforce your success by giving yourself a good treat. Share your success with somebody. Give yourself a pat on the back. You are finally able to take charge of your life instead of letting fear take charge. dedantos2002@yahoo.com