7 Strategies for Fighting Fear

Strategy # 1 : Separate What is Real from What is Not

For example, public speaking is real, but the fear of it is not. The fear of public speaking is a psychological projection created by our mind. Many times fear comes not from the actual thing itself but from our perception or interpretation of it.

Strategy # 2 : Find the External Cause

There is always an external cause to fear. Try to become aware of what triggers this reaction inside you. The best way to do this is to catch the external cause the moment it creates fear and then observe your inner dialogue. Learning to identify your fear is the first step to fighting it.

Strategy # 3 : Identify Where Fear Manifests in Your Body

Fear often manifests in the physical body. Learn to identify where in your body anxiety and stress are stored. It might be in different areas, but generally it tends to be in the torso, somewhere between the belly and the heart. After finding where this is for you, you can do some internal work to relieve the tension created by the fear. For example, if you store stress in your stomach, you can learn to release the blocked energy that fear has created by doing breathing techniques, stretches, and other psycho-energetic exercises (these are all techniques that we study in our academy).

Strategy #4 : Practice Meditation

Sit down for at least 5-10 minutes every day and connect with your innermost center. Contemplate the things that are going well in your life. It doesn't matter how "important" or insignificant they may seem. Meditate on the highest possible things you have experienced. Try to see your highest potential with your inner eyes. Meditation helps shift us internally into a positive place, which can become an antidote to fear, over time.

Strategy #5 : Become Aware of you Inner Dialogue

Become aware of the conversations that happen in your head. If you were in front of a great Master, would you say or confess these things? Most likely you wouldn't. Use positive words when you speak to yourself and remind yourself of your strengths -- not your weaknesses or what could potentially go wrong.

Strategy #6 : See the Glass as Half Full

Perception is very powerful, and how you feel about your situation dictates how you will respond. So if you make an effort to see things positively, you give yourself a much better chance of success. This, of course, takes time and practice. Start practicing with one thing or situation at a time. What is the one negative/fearful thought that's been bothering you most these days? Work on reversing this one thought and over time, it will become a habit.

Strategy #7 : Find Your 'Place of Power'

In the shamanic tradition there is a phenomenon called the "place of power". Usually, it's a place in nature where the shaman goes and stays to recharge his energy and his internal state, but it can also be a place inside you. It's a place of empowerment, where you feel at ease and safe enough to be yourself. Your place of power can be a physical place, like your office, your favorite room, or a place where you generally can relax and center. It's a place where you can "retreat" and recharge your "batteries"; where you can concentrate and resolve your problems. This sense of comfort will allow you to relax and see how you can combat your fears. In this place you can make decisions and rest before you engage once more with the world.

Final Thoughts

Of course not all of these strategies will work for everybody. But you can take them as a starting point and go from there. Start practicing fighting your fear and take it seriously. Because if you don't implement these techniques, or do something else to face your fears, then you accept that there will always be something holding you back and preventing you from fulfilling your highest potential in life!