All we are afraid of something, of real things and of things that are not even real but that can materialize, of things that are in our mind and of things that exist and are close to us. Fears are very normal and help us avoid dangers, but sometimes they also paralyze us in the face of things that we could easily overcome.
Being brave means assuming that we are afraid and face it to try to overcome it, so that we become much stronger. That is why we are going to give you some tips to begin to overcome the fears that keep us paralyzed in some aspects of our lives and that do not let us fully enjoy everything.
Assume that fear exists
There are many people who what they do when faced with something that scares them is to deny it and deny that they are afraid. They just avoid it and bury that thought, but that discomfort is still present, so it can manifest itself in many ways, with stress or a bad mood. So the first thing we must do to overcome something is to be aware that it exists and is there. We have to learn to identify what scares us. It does not have to be something physical, since we can also be afraid of commitment, opening up to another person or meeting people. Everything can scare us but for that reason we are not better or worse, since everyone is afraid of something. If you know that you are afraid, you can identify what you are afraid of and see if that fear really helps you or is just a drag that prevents you from moving forward.
Focus on what you fear
To overcome fear you must look at it head on, that is, assume that this is what you fear and what consequences it could have. In the vast majority of cases, by seeing what scares us head-on, without avoiding it, we realize that it is not so terrible and that we can overcome it. In this case it is important to use logical thinking, since fear is a more instinctive response. If logic tells us that we should not fear that situation or that thing then we can begin to understand it and face fear. You have to realize that imagining everything bad that can happen to us is worse than definitely facing it.
Expose yourself little by little
Not in all cases it can be done, but if you have the opportunity, try to gradually expose yourself to those fears. That is, if you are afraid of the waves, you should not immerse yourself in the largest ones, but try small waves to lose that fear. If you see that nothing is wrong with you, you will be able to bathe in bigger waves over time. The same happens if you are afraid of dogs, try to socialize with small and good-natured dogs with whom you gain confidence and it will be easier for you to lose your fear.
Admit you can't control everything
People who are afraid also want to control it, but we must admit that sometimes it is not possible to control everything that happens. The life is full of uncertainties for better and for worse, so we should not live thinking about everything bad that can happen. We should focus on what we can control and over which we have some power. The rest should concern us to a certain extent, but without paralyzing us. That is, there is no use worrying about plane accidents before getting on a plane, thus creating a fear of a situation that may not occur, but that we cannot control.