At the heart of all fear is a feeling of powerlessness. Fear can be crippling as it permeates our lives, manifesting in decisions, relationships and our health. Worrying about a plethora of possible disaster scenarios, even if it’s the current state of things, does nothing to help you. The anxiety you feel is a result of looping your fears. In fact, the more you worry, the more negative energy—and power—you give to your fear.
Please understand, I am not suggesting that you ignore your fears, but you need to cut the power source. I’m going to suggest three things to help you overcome your fears. These are methods that I am using to manifest all of the positive changes in my life.
Step 1: Be Honest
Don’t ignore your fears. For years I was okay taking the long way; I created full routes around my fears so I’d never have to face them. I committed thousands of acts of self-sabotage. And while I was the one committing these crimes, I also played the victim.
When Shakespeare wrote, “To thine own self be true,” that was the truth. Sit down and have an honest conversation with yourself. Use a pen and paper and start writing. Let it all out. You can’t overcome an enemy that you haven’t identified. The moment you have a full sketch of the culprit, you can start diminishing its power. In fact, you’ll start feeling more powerful as you write. Whether it’s your mother’s fears, something a teacher said, or just a lifetime of baggage you’ve been carrying without question, it’s time to face, question and dispel them all.
I used to fear the death of a loved one. It became my obsession until one day a dear friend pointed out that I had made something inevitable my biggest fear. Her words changed my life. I know this is going to sound simplistic, but I was forced to face the truth: death is a part of life. I have spent a lot of time trying to focus on enjoying my life and my loved ones while I can. I’ll cross the death bridge when I get there, but I refuse to allow fear to rob me of my time.
Sometimes, events occur that force us to face our fears and they teach us that we always win the face-off.
Step 2: Have a little faith
You’ve heard it a million times: there’s “power in prayer,” or “let go and let God.” Well, do it. You’ve identified your fears, so now it’s time to commit it to prayer. Ask for what you need believing that you have received it—that’s faith. The Universe/God is always listening and is ready to give us what we ask for. You are capable of manifesting all the good in your life, but it’s going to take a little faith.
Step 3: Find a better feeling
Once you ask for what you need, you have to have faith and believe that things are changing in your life. But faith isn’t just about the things you say, it’s how you feel about them.
There are countless spiritual teachers that remind us that our feelings are everything. What you feel is a reflection of what you believe, and perception is reality. You have to create a safe place in your mind, a sort of go-to for positivity when you feel fear and its byproduct, negativity, encroaching.
Again, take a pen and paper and start listing everything that you are grateful for. Then, spend some time discovering and exploring what you love; the experience is guaranteed to enrich your life. Navigating from one positive feeling to the next is critical to your success. Nobody has ever suggested that this means you’re happy all of the time, but you’ll notice that the more work you put in to being happy with the simple stuff, the more your life fills up with the big stuff. Once you realize how powerful you are in creating your mood and manifesting the good in your life, you’ll be conscious of your fears and ready to disarm them.
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
–Nelson Mandela