For reasons we don’t always understand, we find ourselves constantly carrying fears in life. Fears fall into various categories and it’s believed that the majority of those fears come about as a result of childhood experiences or traumatic moments. While there are tonnes of things we fear, it’s generally accepted that the huge ones tend to be:
- Fear of people
- Fear of death
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of failure
But, how do you begin and go about overcoming your fears? Is fear just a normal part of human life or is it actually something that needs to be managed and even eliminated? The thinking is that it needs to be a little bit of both. There is healthy fear and there is unhealthy fear.
Healthy fear is that which enables us to act against threats to our safety, security and well-being. For example, if you are out in the bush and you hear the growl of a lion and it’s very clear that it’s approaching you, it’s the trigger of fear that tells you to ‘get the stepping’ and make your way out of there, fast. Without that healthy fear, you’d be lunch. On the flip side, unhealthy fear is a negative, trapping force. For example, we all know that we will die sooner or later. But when that consciousness becomes so gripping and obsessive that it prevents you from enjoying the life you do have, that’s a problem.
Healthy fear is fuel for positive action; unhealthy fear is limiting and paralyzing.
Here are a couple of things to think about when it comes to overcoming your fears, specifically the unhealthy ones:
- Identify what it is. Ever been in the house and heard a sound that freaked you out? The best thing you can do for yourself is look for the source so that you can know what you are dealing with. Only when you know can you develop a strategy to beat it.
- Ask questions. Fear can be such a controlling force that it even takes away the ability to think straight. If possible, step back from the heightened emotions and ask yourself this key question, “What is the very worst that could happen to me if what I fear plays out?”
- Get help. Sometimes you can’t go it alone. Get a deeper understanding of the nature and source of the fear and use that to arm yourself. It could be through reading on the subject or being part of a support group or supportive community.
- Be patient with yourself. Anything worthwhile generally takes time. It may take a while to overcome those fears but, with persistence and determination, it will happen.
In the Bible, it is stated that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind”. If you would like to know about a God who can walk with you to help you overcome your fears, please click on the banner below.