Are you ready to overcome fear?

Taking a risk sounds fun and exciting. You’re jazzed up to go do something but you’re not sure what. When it comes to risk-taking, try to look at what you are afraid of  and consider how you can overcome fear.

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking…

Betty Feared Heights

From the time she had been a child, Betty feared heights. When she went on a spring break vacation with her friends, she didn’t participate in climbing the mountain or exploring a waterfall because of these fears.  Many people who experience trauma make a subconscious decision not to do anything that feels adventurous or fun.

The desire to overcome fear is far down the list behind the nervous systems desire to keep you safe.

After seeing a documentary about how to overcome fear, Betty decided she was tired of being afraid of heights. In order to overcome her fear, she decided to challenge it in small ways. She took an escalator up to the second floor of the department store instead of her usual elevator ride. When a customer needed an item at work, Betty volunteered to climb the ladder to retrieve it. At a local carnival, Betty went on the Ferris wheel with a friend.

Sometimes this approach works – but it must be within your window of tolerance. If your fear is heights and the thought of being high creates a total panic in you – this is not something that you need to work though on your own. Emotional Freedom Technique can be used to release this fear in a gentle way.

Lisa Was Afraid of the Water

In college, Lisa nearly drowned while playing in the ocean. The experience scared her so much that she didn’t go back into the water for two decades. It wasn’t until her teenager expressed an interest in swimming that Lisa decided it was time to deal with her fears.

Instead of starting in the ocean, Lisa purchased a season pass to her local water park. She also brought along a supportive friend that was a strong swimmer. While she was there, Lisa began using the kiddie water slides. But after a few visits to the park, she was able to successfully navigate the adult water slide.  She moved at a pace that felt safe for her.

For Lisa this was a manageable threshold. Her fear was at about a 4 or 5 out of 10 so she felt safe with her friend to tackle it. Had her fear been closer to an 8 or 9 she probably would not have been able to handle this without first getting some help.

Kim Dreaded Public Speaking

Kim climbed the corporate ladder in her company quickly and she managed to do it for years without speaking publicly. But the business was hosting a large annual celebration and Kim was expected to speak.

Since Kim needed to tackle her fear of public speaking, she thought about joining a group like Toastmasters. But a friend suggested an acting coach who offered improv classes. As a class clown, Kim liked the atmosphere and the relaxed nature of the coach. The practice sessions during these classes created space for her to become more comfortable on a larger scale.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Make a list of what you fear—these can be big and little things. Do you fear spiders or lizards? Is it a dread of public speaking like Kim? Do you avoid new adventures that have to do with heights like Betty once did?

Once you make your list, choose one fear to tackle. Then begin challenging that fear in small ways. For example, if you fear putting yourself out there, go to a karaoke night and get on stage.

Make sure to only tackle issues that feel within your window of tolerance. Once you find yourself in panic you have left a space where these fears can rationally be shifted by yourself and you are in a place where you need some guidance. Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping) is amazing when it comes to fears or phobias like this. There are many success stories where people had severe phobias but after they tapped through these fears they were gone for good.

Keep in mind what lies on the other side of your fear. The more you clear these your fears, the more adventures you’ll be able to take!