How to overcome fear and self-doubt is a question that, one way or another, many people are trying to find an answer to. Some - to a lesser extent, others - to a greater extent. And that's normal. Only a fool is never afraid of anything and is always confident in himself. It is common for a reasonable person to fear and doubt.
It’s another matter if fears and doubts overwhelm a person beyond reasonable limits. This is already bad. In this case, a person begins to adjust his entire life to his fears. That is, fears and uncertainty occupy a dominant position in this person’s life. He becomes incapable of even basic everyday things: making a friend, falling in love, getting a good job, showing fortitude in a given situation - but who knows what? A chronically insecure person does not even believe in himself; he doubts his abilities and gifts. And from this it follows that the life of such a person usually goes awry: no ups, no achievements, no exploits, no love... Like the wise minnow in the Saltykov-Shchedrin fairy tale.
Of course, first of all these are features of psychology. Although many psychiatrists say that excessive tightness and stiffness are already in the field of psychiatry. But be that as it may, the question arises: is it possible to overcome excessive self-doubt and cope with excessive fear on your own? Let's look into these difficult issues.
Why are we afraid?
Anxiety and fear are natural human emotions. In a difficult life situation, anxiety and fear help you use your physical and mental resources to the maximum, and if danger arises, they can save your life.
However, some people experience negative emotions without good reason. According to psychologists, the cause of fears lies deep in a person’s subconscious. For example, people who have experienced severe shocks or difficulties begin to fear that such a situation may repeat itself in the future.
See also...
✅ Orthodox prayer for fear and anxiety
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Some people are endowed with a weak nervous system. In any unforeseen situation, they begin to worry and worry. Pessimists are also characterized by constant anxiety and worry. They assert themselves in the correctness of their thinking. Thus, the frequency of negative experiences increases.
Advice from a psychologist on how to overcome your fears
Psychologists say that every person is capable of overcoming negative emotions, fears and worries. The main thing is to set a goal and go towards it, putting into practice the advice of experts.
You can overcome fear and self-doubt with:
- Meditation;
- Visualizations;
- Positive thinking.
Psychologists advise writing down all your experiences on paper. Take a blank sheet of paper and a pen. Write down your thoughts and describe everything you are afraid of. This method makes it possible to understand the reasons for the appearance of feelings of fear and anxiety.
Effective methods of psychologists to combat fears:
- Explore the cause of your worries. Do you want to get rid of feelings of anxiety and fear? Find the reason for their appearance. Think about a situation in which these negative emotions begin to overcome you. You may be afraid of speaking in front of an audience, heights, large crowds, or communicating with strangers;
- Don't hide from anxiety and fear . Don't be afraid to admit to yourself that they really exist. Awareness will help you quickly cope with negative emotions and thoughts;
- Relax . Anxiety takes a lot of strength and energy. If you are afraid or worried about something, it is important to be able to relax. To do this you can do: Breathing exercises;
- Evening or morning jogging;
- Do yoga;
- Listen to your favorite music.
Another effective way to overcome yourself is to stay busy. If a person is not busy with anything, negative experiences come to his heels. He can't relax. When negative emotions overcome you, try:
- Prepare a delicious dish;
- Clean the apartment;
- Pay attention to your significant other;
- Go to the shop;
- Play with the child.
You need to take time for fears and worries. Surely you will not be able to constantly control your own fears. Therefore, give them time: 20-30 minutes a day is enough. During this time, give your fears your full imagination. Draw the scariest pictures possible. Just experience your own emotions. Once the allotted time is complete, return to your own activities. If anxiety begins to overwhelm you during the day, simply write down these thoughts on paper, and in the allotted time, begin to worry.
The seventh method of overcoming fears and self-doubt
– «awareness
" This method is one of the most effective. Otherwise, awareness can be called knowledge, or professionalism. For example, when applying for a job, being new to the business, it is quite normal to feel insecure, because it is not known in advance whether you will be able to cope with the assigned tasks. In this vein, work turns into a continuous continuous exam, resulting in long-term stress. But a professional who knows the topic has nothing to fear. He has self-confidence based on experience. Therefore, training is often the best cure for self-doubt. Ancient people were afraid of natural phenomena because they did not even know approximately what lightning was - heavenly punishment, or an addressless electric charge in a way similar to the sixth method of “understanding”. The difference is that for the “understanding” method it is not necessary to have complete “professional” knowledge of the situation. It is quite enough to simply make a choice and follow it. But “awareness”, as a rule, leads to spontaneous decision-making based on knowledge.
How to overcome fear with meditation
It is natural to be afraid of something. But negative emotions can and should be fought. To overcome panic fear, two types of meditation are used:
- Affirmation;
- Working with the body and subconscious.
Method of meditation - affirmation
Emerging beliefs in thoughts can be overcome with the help of affirmations. They allow you to replace standard anxious thinking with self-hypnosis. Thanks to this method, it is possible to completely replace the feeling of fear and anxiety with a feeling of confidence.
Remember that affirmations only work if repeated regularly.
In this way, the standard paradigms of brain perception are replaced by others. For them to work effectively, you need to repeat them in the first person:
- I'm not scared;
- I am not afraid of anything;
- You will not defeat me;
- My mind is stronger than fears and worries.
For affirmations to work effectively, fear must be fully felt by every part of the body, every hair. When you are in this state, start repeating one of the above affirmations or come up with your own. The duration of one procedure is until you believe it. If fear comes again, immerse yourself in this state again.
Method of meditation - working with the body and subconscious
The meditation method “working with the body and subconscious” works effectively in the fight against fear and negative emotions when performed regularly. Over time, you will achieve incredible results. This type of meditation is used by professional UFC fighters. It allows you to see your fear, overcome yourself and enter the ring.
To do the exercise:
- Sit down. Straighten your back. Close your eyes. Feel the warmth of your body;
- Feel the number of fingers and toes. You don’t need to move them, just feel their presence;
- Stop your thoughts. Don't think about anything. Don't open your eyes;
- Imagine that you are near a cave. The space of the cave is your fear. Enter it;
- You notice writing on a distant wall. The reason for your fear is described there. You move closer to the wall to get a better look;
- Warmth appears inside your body. It spreads throughout the body to the palms and soles. Feel this warmth. Now it turns into fire. The body is burning, indicating that fear has taken over you;
- Anxiety and negative thoughts try to overcome you, but you resist. You turn your head to the side and notice another wall with writing on it. It lists your character strengths;
- Open your eyes. Now you know that your fear is your most powerful weapon. Now you are free and open to new beginnings and acquaintances. You are not afraid of anything and can cope with any fear.
At the moment of reading, fear is transformed into energy, and the body is filled with strength. This kind of power makes you a warrior who is capable of destroying everything in his path.
The fifth method of overcoming fears and self-doubt
- this is relaxation
" This method can be called physiological, because through relaxation of the body, we influence the state of mind. The more excited and excited the mind and feelings are, the more intense the internal tension manifests itself. The states of the body and mind are interconnected. If the mind is tense, the body becomes tense. Conversely, by relaxing the body, we relax and calm the mind. A similar trick works when we calm our breathing. The best option is not to relax an already tense body, but to maintain the initial relaxation without unnecessary tension.
How to overcome fear with visualization
Visualization is one of the relaxation techniques in which you can imagine pleasant scenes and dreams. Two effective visualization methods in the fight against anxiety and fear:
- Imagine yourself overcoming your fear. Transfer the experience gained to real life and achieve success.
- Imagine calming scenarios and pictures in anxious situations.
Visualization is a powerful weapon against anxiety and fear. The brain often compares imagination with real life. Do you want to overcome fear? Think about success and imagine it. But imagine real pictures, as if this is all happening in real life.
An example of dealing with fear using visualization: you are afraid to give a report in front of a large audience. Do not try to think that your speech will cause delight and numerous applause. Surely you will get a good report, but it is unlikely to arouse strong audience sympathy. Imagine that everything is going as it should for you. Imagine your calmness, your composure in front of many people. You are calm and your pulse is not increased. You answer questions confidently and speak without hesitation.
This visualization of a frightening situation will help you overcome fears and negative emotions, transforming them in your imagination.
The ninth method of overcoming fears and self-doubt
– this is “ self-knowledge”
"
All our self-doubt is a consequence of ignorance regarding our own person, and that is the only reason why our self-identification is so tightly tied to public approval. If someone likes you, you feel encouraged and your self-confidence grows. And if they criticize, confidence decreases. All this happens as if we do not know ourselves at all, and we receive information about our person exclusively from others. It is important to remember that understanding others is also subjective. Most people are not even able to understand themselves, let alone give a sober assessment of our actions. To know yourself means to accept yourself as you are. When you are not ashamed to be yourself, then you can live and act without fear
. When we act knowing ourselves, we simply show our guts as they are. Of course, everything has its time and place. The topic of self-knowledge is one of the main ones on progressman.ru.
Positive thinking versus fear
Thoughts are part of reality. What is our thinking, in what colors do we present it, such is the picture of our world. We are artists who can paint our lives. To overcome your fear of life, change your thoughts.
Finding the good in every situation in life will help you tune in to positive thinking. Whatever happens in your life, always ask the question: “What can be good about this?” Repeat until you can answer it.
Smile and laugh. Negative feelings and anxiety are perfectly treated with humor. Watch humorous programs, comedies, read jokes, find funny videos on the Internet. Laugh, relieve stress and forget about worries, at least for a short time.
How to overcome fear in an emergency?
Any threat creates a psychological source of tension. The main thing in an emergency situation is to remain calm and have a certain composure that allows you to think rationally.
In emergency situations, human behavior is divided into two categories:
- Rational. With complete control of your mental state and management of your own emotions. Such behavior consists of following precise orders and instructions;
- Irrational. People with such behavior become dangerous to society. Because of such people, the number of victims increases. In an emergency situation, people go into shock. The main cause of shock retardation is panic, which is expressed in involuntary flight. In this case, people are guided by consciousness, which was characteristic of primitive people.
To overcome fear in an emergency, you need to know what to do. To do this you need to train. Today's exercises, which show how to act in an emergency situation, are useful not only for professionals, but also for ordinary people. For example, in Japan, children are taught how to behave during an earthquake. Such skills can save many lives.
Basic emergency action tips that can save lives:
- Don't panic;
- Carefully assess the situation around you;
- Control yourself;
- Be decisive and firm, losing heart now is not the best time;
- Make a decision and look for a way out. Was the attempt unsuccessful? Repeat it again;
- Don't give up until your last breath;
- Remember, help is at hand.
Based on the above, we can conclude that fear in an emergency situation is unacceptable. In most cases, it is its absence that allows you to save your own life. Be more attentive to yourself and the world around you.
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