Overcoming Fear: 3 Practical Strategies to Improve Your Emotional Wellbeing
Fear is an emotion we often try to avoid, but it tends to sneak into our everyday lives when we least expect it. Whether it’s triggered by external events or internal worries, fear can easily make us feel anxious, stuck, or overwhelmed.
How Fear Sneaks Into Our Everyday Lives
Fear can show up in many ways. It might be as big as eco-anxiety, political concerns, or worries about rising living costs. Other times, it’s more personal—like feeling nervous about attending a social event alone or trying a new activity.
Fear is a master of disguise. It hides in unexpected places:
Stuck in a job you don’t love? That’s fear of change.
Hesitating to take on a new opportunity? Maybe it’s fear of success—or failure.
Waking up at 2 a.m., stressing over details? You might be dealing with fear of imperfection or getting things wrong.
Holding back in conversations? Fear of judgment or ridicule is likely at play.
Not daring to dream bigger? You could be dealing with fear of loss or failure.
Fear can also show up subtly, making you feel like you’re not enough or that you’re doing life wrong. It can float in the background, silently influencing your decisions and keeping you from taking action.
The Real Problem with Fear: It Keeps Us Stuck
Fear often gets in the way, blocking progress and making us feel small. It can loop in our thoughts, reinforcing old beliefs and trapping us in cycles of doubt and hesitation. Over time, we can become so used to living with fear that we don’t even realize how it’s limiting our lives.
But what if we could learn to understand fear, work with it, and ask it to step aside when needed?
How to Have a Better Relationship with Fear
Fear doesn’t have to control your life. By changing how you relate to fear, you can regain a sense of freedom and confidence. Here are three practical strategies to help you build a healthier relationship with fear:
1. Name Your Fear
One of the most effective ways to deal with fear is to get specific about what you’re feeling. Fear can take many forms, and naming it gives you clarity about why it’s showing up.
For example, ask yourself:
Is this fear related to anxiety or feeling overwhelmed?
Is it a fear of failure tied to feelings of inadequacy?
Is it fear of judgment that stems from concerns about imperfection?
When you can pinpoint the exact nature of your fear, you can address it more effectively. Naming your fear helps you stop it from silently influencing your actions and allows you to confront it directly.
2. Put Distance Between Yourself and the Emotion
You are not your fear. There’s a powerful difference between saying, “I am afraid” and “I am feeling afraid.” This small shift in language creates space between you and the emotion, giving you more control over how you respond to it.
Try this exercise: Picture your fear as a temporary place you can visit. Ask yourself, “What happens when I enter that space? How long do I need to stay there, and what might happen if I choose to leave?” By visualizing fear as something you can interact with, rather than something that controls you, you give yourself more freedom to move beyond it.
3. Get Comfortable with Feeling Uncomfortable
Courage doesn’t mean the absence of fear—it means taking action despite it. Fear will never fully disappear, but by learning to sit with it and move through it, you can grow your confidence.
Ask yourself: “What would happen if I embraced this discomfort? What can I learn from it?” Start small—speak up in a meeting, try something new, or take a chance you’ve been putting off. The more you practice facing fear, the less hold it will have over you.
Ready to Face Your Fears?
Fear can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to dictate your life. By naming your fear, creating distance from it, and getting comfortable with discomfort, you can build a better relationship with this powerful emotion.
Instead of letting fear hold you back, you can learn to work with it—stepping into a life that feels a whole lot freer.
Ready to shift your relationship with fear in your life? Emotions coaching can help you explore your fears, understand why they show up and find practical ways to move forward with confidence. Let’s work together to create a life where fear no longer holds you back.
Start your journey to better emotional wellbeing with a free discovery call today
