Learn How To Alleviate Your Fears

Psychology

Learn How To Alleviate Your Fears

Being anxious is not the worst thing in the world if it causes you to accomplish a given goal. On the other hand if the anxiety begins to take over your life, becoming unbearable, then it can seem overwhelming. Questioning every move you make and being afraid of the unknown can halt your progress. It can make you feel depressed or inadequate, and eventually it can interrupt the flow of your everyday life. The good news, though, is that with a little practice, that can all change. You actually have the ability to  stop the torture by changing your thinking though exercise.

Continuous anxiety is burdensome, with the ups and downs causing havoc in your mind. It affects your sleeping and eating patterns, and even your relationships. It is nothing that you enjoy; yet you find it difficult to get off of the rollercoaster ride.

You might be obsessing over your anxiety, thinking that it will eventually steal your sanity or your strength. You may even trick yourself into believing that it’s a perpetual cycle, with no end in sight.

On the other hand you might think that your concerns help you to get things in order, to avoid pitfalls, and keep you one step ahead of disaster.

Whether or not you believe that anxiety is beneficial or detrimental to you, is equally harmful. If you are overly engaged in thinking about it, then you are stressing unnecessarily. Yet, if you don’t take it seriously enough, then you will continue the pattern of anxiety, which is also not good.  Either way, the anxiety should be alleviated in order to  restore healthy thinking.

Planning To Halt Your Worries Is Not A Plan At All

Unfortunately, your worrying thoughts are not just something that can be forgotten away; the results of doing that are only temporary. After a while, that same repressed thought will return to torture you again. This time, however, it will be fortified.

This particular method doesn’t work because you must focus in on that thought before you can try to forget it. Thus, the focus defeats the whole purpose.

But don’t give up just yet. There is a way to modify your anxiety level by changing the way you think. Instead of trying to forget about a particular issue causing you stress, allow yourself the opportunity to temporarily put it aside. This subconsciously lessens its importance and its grip on you.

Schedule Your Concerns

  1. Decide on a specific time when you will give attention to the issue. Make sure that the time you choose is not so late that it keeps you up at night. This way you can enjoy the entire day except for that designated time.
  1. If that issue tries to creep up on you before or after its time, just remind yourself that the issue has its own appointed time and space. Refrain from thinking about it until then.
  2. Re-evaluate your anxieties during the appropriate time. If the issues have not been sufficiently resolved, then by all means decide to give them the attention that they deserve. Yet, again, you will only attend to them at the appointed time. If you believe the issues have dissipated, then leave the memory of them behind.

This practice will help you to monitor when and where you entertain stressful thoughts. You don’t have to be overcome with being anxious all of the time; schedule your anxious thoughts until they are more manageable. Regardless of  your problems, you can be the master over your own mind.

Know the Difference Between Things You Can Change And Things You Can’t

If you start to regress, take an honest assessment of  your ability to change the situation.

  1. Are you really in trouble or are you just anticipating trouble?
  2. If you are not actually in trouble, what is the likelihood of the event happening in reality?
  3. Do you have the ability to fix or prevent the issue?

Concerns that have actual solutions are the ones you will work on immediately. You will work to complete incomplete projects, fix things that need repair, make a plan to pay outstanding debts, etc.  However, don’t waste your time being anxious about imaginary or possible future issues.

If you can work through the problem, then start thinking of ways to do so. Think of all possible ways to resolve it, using all possible resources available to you. Do not get caught up with situations that you cannot do anything about; if you can’t change it, then leave it alone. As you develop an outline of which actions to take or not to take, you will feel less powerless, and subsequently, less stressed.

What if the worries are unsolvable indeed

If you can’t do anything about the issue, then you may have to change the way you feel about the issue.

Although anxiety may help you to escape particular feelings, in order to rid yourself of anxiety, you must turn it around. Accept the way that you feel, no matter how out of control it is. Although you may want to be  a certain way, it’s important to express your true feelings.

If you’re able to be honest with yourself, you will realize that your feelings may be all over the place. However, if applied properly, they can be a big part of your growth process. Believe it or not, they can help you to  stunt anxiety.

The world is uncertain, accept it

One reason for anxiety is the issue of not knowing. We cannot possibly know everything so there is always an element of surprise and perhaps, disappointment. Life has many twists and turns, with great expectations and mishaps. There is no way to absolutely project the future; if you are hoping for this, then you are misinformed.

Trying to predict all possible outcomes to a future situation is pointless. The feeling of security which comes over you when you obsess over something, is not real.  No matter how concerned you are, you cannot prevent the inevitable, nor can you decide what will or won’t happen. For goodness’ sake, let it go!

Learning to be tolerant  of uncertainty

Ask yourself these questions and record your responses.

  1. Can you know everything that will happen?
  2. How will needing to know help me? How will it hinder me?
  3. Do you always assume the worst will occur?
  4. Can you live without knowing that bad things might occur when there is very little possibility of it happening?

Challenge your anxious thoughts

If you are consumed with worry, you probably look at everything in a negative way;you automatically assume the worst. You usually spend your time over indulging your imagination, thinking of all kinds of horrible events that could potentially occur. You may also be afraid that you are not equipped to handle those supposed disasters when or of they happen. Constantly thinking these kinds of  thoughts are called cognitive distortions.

These thoughts, which are so difficult to part with, are mere fantasy. You can change your negative thinking and teach yourself to produce less worrisome thoughts.

Find out what your fears are; then realize that these are only possibilities, not reality. Analyzing these horrific thoughts helps to put them into the right perspective.

Begin to question every negative thought you have

  1. Is there a clear reason for the thought?
  2. Is there a healthier way of looking at things?
  3. What are the odds of this thing I’m afraid of really happening?
  4. If it probably won’t happen, then what probably will?
  5. Is that thought moving you forward?

6.If I knew someone else was having this same thought, what would I say to them?

Focus On the Present

If you focus your attention on what is currently happening, you  will not have time to imagine horrible things for your future. Do not resist your worries or schedule them for later; instead, acknowledge them

and make the decision to release them. This practice will help you sort through the issues which keep you awake at night.

  1. Take a realistic assessment of your worries. Don’t just stress about the possibility of danger.
  2. Allow your fears to flow through your brain, not getting stuck. It’s okay to acknowledge these thoughts but don’t become attached to them.
  3. Keep your concerns current. Don’t stress about the past or the future.

Staying focused on the present will help you to eliminate many worries and doubts about situations that have either gone away or that may never actually happen.

When you change your thoughts, your whole life will change. Clearly, training your mind to think differently is the key.  So release your doubts, your worries and your fears and prepare for a better tomorrow by making a few needed adjustments; and live your new life worry free!


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