Thread: How do you deal with fear?

Fear is a constant, but accepting it will make you stronger. -King Leonidas

good quote

For silly little things like random anxiety (e.g. before giving a talk), I think the best policy is to just get on it before you can have the chance to have the conversation with your mind. The less rationalization, the better. If you're busy getting on it, your mind will eventually be on your side and put the fear aside.

I never thought of it that way. That makes a lot of sense.

On a side note, that's also the only way I can get out of bed earlier than I'd like. Don't let your mind rationalize sleeping just another 10 minutes... just get up before you think about it

Originally Posted by Replicon

On a side note, that's also the only way I can get out of bed earlier than I'd like. Don't let your mind rationalize sleeping just another 10 minutes... just get up before you think about it

I have to use two alarms to get my ass out of bed. One alarm to go off first on the bedside table, the other one to go off on some part of the room just where I can't reach unless I get out of bed to switch it off. So far, it works like a charm.

As for fear. I dunno... I just don't think about the fear. Sometimes the only way to overcome the fear is to simply accept it and continue. To know, but not to think. To accept, but not to rationalise.

The longer you think on something that makes you nervous, the more time you have to think about what could go wrong. Sometimes it's good to consider a "worst case scenario" so you can plan for it, but usually when you're facing something that's not a critical situation, it's best to just do it and get it done.

One thing that I've learned over the past several years (but still tend to forget for some reason) is that things usually are not as bad as they seem. It's a great feeling to be done and over with things that are difficult or cause you stress and it usually becomes easier to do once you've been though it before.

Another thing is to try and remember to focus on the things that you can change/fix and not pay attention to those things that are out of your control or won't be accessable until later on down the road. When you get through and/or finish those things you have a say over, that's something you don't have to worry about later.

Talk with people who have been through it before and see what they have to say. It doesn't hurt to ak and you can often get some good advice, or at least an idea of what to expect.

Confide in your friends. Tell them what's going on and ask them to help you out and/or encourage you as you face whatever is causing anxiety. It's not weakness to ask for help. The least they can do is make you smile

Originally Posted by Replicon

On a side note, that's also the only way I can get out of bed earlier than I'd like. Don't let your mind rationalize sleeping just another 10 minutes... just get up before you think about it

That works really well for me too. I used to have an alarm somewhere in my room where I'd have to get out of bed to turn it off, that way I'd be sure I'd get up. I had a problem with hitting the snooze button too much. The distance alarm worked except for days where I'd wake up after 4 hours of sleep and just be so tired I'd get up, turn it off, and fall back into bed and be back to sleep in under a minute. But this summer, I don't have much going on, so I let my mind rationalize sleeping just another 10 minutes pretty much every day. I've been trying to do a WILD after I wake up, but so far I've only been able to just fall back asleep and have normal dreams.

I find I just have to focus on what's at hand and not think about what the future holds. If it goes wrong, I'll just deal with it as it comes.

For instance I used to steal a lot and I would be nervous at first but I realized there was nothing to think about because if it went wrong that's just another situation I have to deal with.

By the way don't steal, you always get caught eventually and you end up paying way more than what you accumulatively took.