Halloween may have recently passed, but fears can certainly still be pressing on your mind.
Have you ever heard the notion that most fears are nothing more than False Expectations Appearing Real? Oftentimes, when we are afraid of something, we are simply expecting a false (oftentimes negative) outcome that may or may not occur.
Our brains are so powerful that fears, whether founded or not, can produce all the physical signs of being faced with an actual threat in our body - anxiety, heart palpitations, and tension.1
Read on to learn 4 steps you and your powerful brain can employ to overcome F.E.A.R.1
- Assess the threat -What is truly the worst that could happen? If the worst thing actually happened, what would you do?
- Ask yourself: Is the expectation that's scaring me the only possible outcome? - Be honest with yourself; sometimes we create self-fulfilling prophecies where our actions influence the outcome in the expected way. What would happen if you expected a desired, positive outcome?
- Brainstorm all the possible positive outcomes. - Make a list and keep it handy. Refer to this list when you start feeling F.E.A.R.
- Imagine the results of a positive outcome. - Remember you will feel great about yourself because you moved through your fear and took action. Do this a few times, and you will begin to feel a new confidence in yourself and your abilities.
It may take some practice, but by using this strategy just as soon as those false expectations creep into your mind, you should be able to better manage those fearful experiences and perhaps achieve even more positive outcomes than you ever expected!
"Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right"
- Tony Robbins
Footnotes and Sources
1. Vectormarketing.ca, October 2022