Facing and overcoming your fears takes some doing but the reality is that action builds courage.
‘Courage is 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
The fear of new things is called neophobia and in its most severe form, is a true phobia that can be life-limiting. For most of us however (unless you’re an extreme risk-taking adventurer with nerves of steel!), being wary of new experiences is normal.
Remember, you have the power and the ability to smash through any obstacles that stand in the way of opportunity and dreams, but sometimes you have to learn how to dig deep in order to conquer the unknown.
And that ‘unknown’ could be anything from going to a job interview, getting into a lift, encountering a snake on a bush walk, travelling solo – anything that frightens you. And you CAN do it. But sometimes you just need a little help.
Here are five tips to help you face your fears and conquer the unknown:
Breathe. Breathing is the simplest, easiest and most effective fear-buster in the world and it costs nothing. Focus on taking long, deep breaths (inhale always through your nose), holding the breath in your body for a couple of seconds and then exhaling (even better done with a smile on your face). It’s even more effective when you imagine that you’re taking in love as you breathe in and releasing your fears as you breathe out.
Recognise it. By recognising your fear, you’re empowering yourself to confront it. As soon as you acknowledge it and own it, you’re one giant leap closer to dealing with it.
Visualise it. Picture yourself doing what you fear most. Picture yourself not only doing it, but picture yourself actually enjoying it and being successful at it. Visualisation is a proven method for successfully overcoming fears, so create a mental picture of the powerful moment that you actually convert your fear into an exhilarating victory.
Plan your approach. Fear of doing something new can hold you back from enjoying life to the fullest and prevent you from taking advantage of all the amazing experiences and opportunities on offer. If there’s something you want to do, but being fearful has held you back, a good technique for coming to terms with it is to plan your approach. It’s a good idea to write things down (or keep a document on your mobile or computer) about how you feel and how you plan to overcome your fear, because things can become so much clearer when they’re put into words. Get close to it. Say for example, you’d always wanted to jump out of a plane but were always too scared or anxious. Physically exposing yourself to it by visiting a skydiving school and actually seeing other people doing it (and landing safely with the biggest smiles you’ll ever see) can help you to visualise yourself doing the same thing and then taking positive steps towards actually doing it.
And talking of skydiving – if you’ve always wanted to do it but been too fearful to try – you should come and see what the professionals are up to at Skydive Geronimo. They’re the Perth skydiving experts and their team of highly trained and experienced instructors will put you completely at ease while you experience the majestic beauty of the Western Australian coastline from 15 000ft!
To face your fears and find out more about the most amazing Perth skydives at beautiful beach getaway location on Rottnest Island, visit www.skydivegeronimo.com.au or call 1300 449 669. Your world will expand as your courage expands, so visualise your fears, own them and overcome them – and don’t forget to breathe!
