How to Respond to and Overcome Fear

Fear is a natural response to embarking on a journey into something unknown. There is always a possibility that things will not always go as planned. There is also a possibility that things will go better than expected. Life is a serious of events and circumstances that do not guarantee a set standard of results. The only thing that is constant is change and in order to adapt to these changes an individual must learn how to respond to and overcome fear.

1. Acknowledge the presence of fear and address the underlying causes of the fear. - Pretending that there is not something from your past holding you back from overcoming your fears is not a great coping mechanism. Many people hold on to past failures or the discouraging words of someone allowing it to stall forward progression. It is important to understand where the fear originates from even if it means unlearning a past behavior or seeking forgiveness. Overall, do whatever it takes to overcome your fears.

2. Find an accountability partner who has overcome a similar fear who can be a source of encouragement. - Everyone has a unique journey or experience but fear is something that is common among people. There is always someone that has a story to share about overcoming challenges and fears about particular endeavors. Find someone that you are comfortable with that can provide advice on things that can help you address your fears and be a source of encouragement. This person should also hold you accountable for developing your own path for overcoming your fears. A great way to check in with this person is weekly or daily on your progress.

3. Meditate and find ways to relax. - Meditation is a great way to relax the mind. Thoughts are powerful and can become a reality without a person realizing it. Find a place and set aside a time to reflect on your innermost desires and allow your vision to flow freely in devising plans for achieving your passions. This is also a great time for prayer and devotion to allow whatever it is that is holding you back to come to surface to increase your awareness of it.

4. "Feel the Fear and do it anyway"- This is a famous quote by author Susan Jeffers. Fear will not magically disappear from your life. However, you can acknowledge its presence and still embark on the new endeavor anyway. No matter what if you think you can do something you can succeed with a relentless effort. The only person that can truly limit your progress is yourself.

5. Perform a self assessment and take any training necessary to achieve optimum success. - There are many reasons someone says that something is impossible to achieve. The reasons vary from age, lack of knowledge and skills and sometimes just simply a self defeating mindset. However, with training and a positive mindset nothing is impossible.

Overall, fear can actually be a motivator if you acknowledge its presence and tell yourself , "I am not afraid to try even though fear can be present."