How Do I Overcome Fear?
Author: Jim Denney

© 2003 Jim Denney

The horror of September 11, 2001, rolled over our land in a series of shockwaves that continue to reverberate in our minds and emotions. We live in a different world since that day—a world of anxiety and fear.

Can we live free of fear, even in a post-9/11 era of terror and war? Yes, we can. And we will. We refuse to be ruled by fear.

Where does fear come from?

Some of us are haunted by irrational or ungrounded fears: Fear of the dark. Fear of insects or spiders. Fear of open spaces—or closed spaces. Fear of being alone—or fear of crowds.

Unreasoning fear sometimes results from worry and stress. Clinical studies show that worry and stress can create a neurochemical imbalance in the brain. This can trigger a vague sense of doom or impending death.

Fear can also result from physical exhaustion or lack of sleep. Human beings need at least seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and if you fail to get adequate sleep and rest, you will be much more prone to anxiety and fear.

There are times when fear is an appropriate and healthy response to a dangerous situation. Appropriate fear directed at threatening situations is a healthy response of self-preservation. The problem is that we sometimes lose our ability to distinguish between appropriate fear and inappropriate fear that interferes with a healthy, functional life.

Fortunately, it is possible to train our minds to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate fear. We can learn to respond to scary or threatening situations with confidence and a positive outlook, instead of panic and fear.

So how can we get past our fears? Here are some practical solutions that will enable you to be a more self-assured and courageous person:

1. Face your fears. Take an unflinching, realistic look at the thing you fear. Acknowledge fears that are real and appropriate. Recognize and dismiss fears that are inappropriate. If the thing you fear is a real threat, then ask yourself, "What action can I take to avoid this danger?" Then take realistic and appropriate action to diminish your risk. "Nothing in life is to be feared," said Madame Curie. "It is only to be understood."

2. Replace fearful messages with positive messages. Athletes use this technique to shut down the voice of fear within them that hinders their performance. Before a physical performance, many athletes must face the fear of injury or failure--and these are real fears, not fantasies. To be competitive, athletes must block fear out of their minds. Many athletes find they can shut down their fears by shouting, "Just do it!" or "Go for it!" Once negative thoughts have been blocked out and replaced by a command to "Do it!," the athlete's body can perform as it has been trained to.

3. Enlist the help and encouragement of others. Fear often loses its power to paralyze and intimidate us when we talk through our fears with others. The insights and perspectives of others can give us a useful "reality check" on our fears.

4. Spend time with positive, courageous, risk-taking people. If you spend time around timid, fearful people, odds are you're going to absorb their mindset of timidity and fear. But if you associate with bold people, chances are you'll become a bolder person yourself.

5. Act courageously in spite of your fears. "Do the thing you fear," said Ralph Waldo Emerson, "and the death of fear is certain." If a challenge seems too scary, then break it down into smaller steps. Tightrope walkers start by walking a rope that is only a foot off the ground. In time, they graduate to higher and higher ropes—first with a net in place, and later without a net. In time, the bravest of them can dance on a tightrope over Niagra Falls. So begin with small risks, experience incremental victories, and do the thing you fear, a little at a time.

6. Avoid fear-inducing input. Avoid scary books, movies, and TV shows, especially before bedtime. Consider whether you really benefit from hours and hours of TV news every week, with its frightening images and scare-headline teasers. Yes, it's important to be informed—but a lot of what passes for "news" these days is nothing but pointless sensationalism. If you fill your mind with scary images and scary stories, don't be surprised if you can't sleep without a night-light.

Replace fear-inducing input with soothing input: Good music. Good books. Conversations with good friends. Exercise. Relaxation. These are the kinds of input that lay fear to rest.

7. Focus on your faith. Spending time in prayer, meditation, and Scripture reading is an excellent way to restore a balanced perspective and find courage in times of trouble. The Scriptures are a rich source of encouragement for frightening times. You cannot have faith and fear at the same time. As minister Phil Gulley observes, "Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow."

Conquering our deepest fears is exhilarating! It's an exciting experience to face your fears squarely, to attack them and conquer them. What are you afraid of today? Conquer it. Master it. Feel the exhilaration. Above all, when you go out to confront your fears, face them in the power of God.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jim Denney is a fulltime writer who has written more than 60 books. If you have found this article helpful, you'll want to read Jim Denney's new book, ANSWERS TO SATISFY THE SOUL. It contains twenty life-changing chapters, dealing with such issues as character, success, time-management, worry, love, relationships, anger, forgiveness, guilt, happiness, truth, the meaning of life, the problem of evil, fear of death, the existence of God, the soul, prayer, and miracles. To order your copy direct from the publisher, Quill Driver Books, call toll-free: 1-800-497-4909. Visit Jim Denney’s website at www.denneybooks.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------