You can’t be fearless. Avoiding fear 100% is, in my opinion, not only impossible but also undesirable. But one can fear less.
The acronym “F.e.a.r.” (False Evidence/Expectations Appearing Real) comes to mind whenever I talk about fear.
It’s natural to take caution, to be prepared for the worse, to avoid troubles, to wish for the better.
On another hand, if this leads to anxiety, constant fear, being scared, having negative thoughts, always worrying, things are not that good.
So, how to fear less?
- What I try to do is expose myself to the situation. Does a dog scare you? Spend some time with him. Are you afraid of trying new things? Try new things.
- Read novels. Watch movies. Go visit things. Talk to people.
- Also, try different things in general. Expose yourself to different situations and contexts.
- Don’t let your mind wander that much. To some degree, it’s natural, on an excessive level – it’s not.
- Reanalyze the situation – does it help you to be afraid of X? If not, could you change your mindset about that?
- Come back to the desired state from time to time. So, if I plan not to be afraid of X, reanalyze the situation from time to time – has it changed? What can you do better?
- Try some therapy / journaling / talking to friends – see whatever suits you.
- On another hand, do be prepared for the worse. Have some planning. Put a gas alert system in your house (if your heating is on gas, of course). Train. Project what adversities could happen and be proactive. Having less fear doesn’t imply 100% bravery. You should be cautious, also.
