What is fear? Sure we all know what it feels like, but we can’t always put it into words. In reality, it is an emotion that all of us, even once, have experienced in our life. It could be classified as an “alarm” that tells us that we have to take care of a specific situation, which could become dangerous according to our idea, thought, belief, etc.

It is not bad to be afraid from time to time, because it avoids many inconveniences, it makes us be a little more alert to the dangers that may happen to us, etc. However, the problem lies in the moment when this fear paralyzes us, prevents us from moving forward and confines us to an atrocious immobility that generates feelings of dissatisfaction, anguish and depression. That is when we must take action and take action to avoid letting fear dominate our lives. We are the ones who must “tell” what to do, and not the other way around.

It is not very easy to overcome fear right away, especially if we are facing fears that have long penetrated our hearts and minds or that are so strong that we will need a higher commitment to leave it out of our lives. Like anger, fear can be overcome if we give it a correct interpretation, and look for “the other look” for the situation that is supposed to be a threat or danger.

To overcome fear, it is necessary to learn to manage each and every one of our emotions, in order to discover what basic thoughts are “leading us astray”, as well as detect what actions, attitudes or words of the other make us believe that it is something to fear.

Strategies for managing emotions, thoughts, and feelings of fear

If you really believe that you have a problem and that you cannot control the fear of something in particular or in general, it is time for you to take into account which are the most effective strategies, exposed by specialists on the subject:

1-Specify what the fear is: this means that you talk or think about this fear. Perhaps it is a bit difficult, because, without a doubt, it leads to a lot of sadness, anguish, despair. However, it is good to determine it within some guidelines, so that it is not vague or diffuse. It is proven that the less you talk about it, the more distress it causes. Recognize the root cause of your fear. It is probably difficult for you to analyze the situation objectively, it is even sure that you do not want to acknowledge it consciously, but try to do an act of introduction, of introspection to remove everything that hurts you. Focus on the things that are important and that fear does not allow you to enjoy. You can put yourself at risk of losing someone or something valuable because of this fear. If, for example, you fear being run over and never leave your house, you will stop spending beautiful moments with your family.

2-Thoroughly analyze the fear: once you have “decided” what your fear is, it is time to continue with the analysis work. Ask yourself the reason for that fear. You will not find an immediate answer, it may take you several days because you will have to navigate and even dive into your unconscious. Pay attention to the signals that dreams give you, for example. Fear is often usually because something bad happens rather than the event itself, because continuing with the previous case, there is a low probability that you will be hit by a car if you are careful when crossing the sidewalk or looking at the traffic light. We have a habit of increasing the negative consequences of everything we do instead of facing it or living without it really matter. We think that everything is worse than it really is. Ask yourself what is the worst that can happen to me?

3-Face your fear: then imagine the worst possible situation and how you could get out of it. It is very likely that if you go down the street carefully, no car crashes you and if that happens, you could break a leg or a worse outcome, however, you can take that as learning to enjoy your life to the fullest, because you don’t know how long will you live (nobody has bought life). And if it is only a superficial wound, then you will begin to see your existence differently, you will become stronger with the experience and you will be more careful when crossing the street. It is not necessary that you “headlong” towards the problem as if it were a swimming pool (no one is going to ask you to cross the red traffic light) but it is convenient that you take small steps to gradually overcome your fear and not to suffer it again.

4-Change all the ideas that reaffirm your fear: the moment we are afraid, the mind “conspires” against you, plays a trick on you with negative sentences, telling you things such as “you are not going to achieve it”, ” the worst awaits you ”,“ you cannot overcome fear ”. Ignore him, try to always apply positivism to the letter, remember that the boss is you and not your brain. Avoid the contradictions within you and encourage yourself to continue on this path that you have begun to undertake, which is already enough.