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How to Overcome Fear with Courage

“Fear is contagious, but so is courage.”

Acknowledge Your Fear

When you fear something, at first, it is a strange feeling that lets you stop and keep away from the things you want to do or experience in your life. You’ve made your plans and are about to act on them when a feeling interrupts you. As you open the door, fear stands there, smiling at you, ready to capture your world of dreams, imagination, and fun in the middle of your day. It would help if you initially had recognised it and sought to eliminate it. But fear is not a rookie. It had made all the plans to stay with you, not just for a weekend but weeks and weeks, maybe months. Just like an uninvited guest, you let fear in. You might say, I will give it some time, and then it will go. But you have never noticed the big luggage fear has brought. Luggage that many emotional responses: frustration, rage, confusion, terror and anger. You would feel those emotions familiarly because you have gone through those emotional responses many times earlier. Your mind started racing; your stomach sank, and your arm filled with goosebumps (same emotional response in excitement). 

Understand the Source

Fears come from many sources: past learned fears, uncertainty, or any situation you perceive as dangerous. By the time you are aware of that feeling and realise the source, you have given shelter to fear; it has already tidied up the baggage on the shelf and started showering. You’ve offered him refuge, so kicking him out is not simple. But it is not the end of the world. As fear is contagious, coming again and again from many sources, there are many ways to get rid of it. The best way to do it is by being courageous. When fear holds you, many say: Hang in there, stay strong, and don’t give up. But fear is a powerful emotion that does not let you stay strong, not even for a moment, irrespective of the source it is coming from. Then you step back and think, trying to take a bold step like saying, ‘Think twice before jumping’. That’s where fear overpowers you. It affects not only how you feel but also how you think. What do you think about a dangerous situation or a feeling you have recognised from your past that had beaten you, controlling you? You have no choice but to kneel beside fear.

Courage a saviour

In this situation, courage emerges as the hero. Derived from the root ‘cor’, which means heart, courage signifies living in any situation with all your heart. The lion’s roar in your heart says, ‘Jump first and then think.’ Fear brings feelings, and courage brings action. Acting on that fearful feeling is acting brave. Fear may try to linger, but your courage never allows it to settle. First, acknowledge that fear is irrelevant and redundant in your life. It’s the first and last piece in the loaf of bread that you don’t eat and throw out. This realisation empowers you to take control and live fearlessly. 

Take Small Steps with Bravery

Courage is the key to living without the burden of fear. The first step is accepting fear. Once you accept it, it loses its power over you. If you fear, then you make it your friend. You say I have achieved what I am supposed to accomplish because you fear the unknown. Courage is risking known for the unknown. If you fear trekking the mountain but never want to take any risk, you never realise that it’s just a gigantic mountain you fear. You see, you accept that fear, and with all your heart ready to take the risk, the fear disappears at that moment. You have achieved half the battle. This reassures you that you can conquer your fears and live a fulfilling life with courage.

Understand yourself well

Courage will allow us to visit the unknown because it brings spontaneity. People say spontaneousness is a trait of madness. People take everything spontaneously and act of madness, but in reality, it’s sanity. Courage is sanity – a sound mind and heart. To be more courageous, you must understand yourself. The emotional responses that have taken possessions first understand it. It is just an emotion. It starts with your senses and lets you see it as real. You first accept any emotion as real, but truth strikes when you see it with courage. 

Practice Mindfulness and trust your Heart

Being mindful of your fear and it requires courage. It comes from trusting your heart. You can’t be truthful until you let go of that emotion surrounding your mind and affect your thinking ability. It will allow you to create a logic that fear exists and will bring security in accepting it. But courageous people lead with their hearts. Courage welcomes insecurity. Courage is ready to go on the dangerous path and take risks. It plays a gamble, but understanding that fear is unreal, whether it exists, I would not let it seize my house of trust and not let it stay forever or even for a moment. You should trust your heart. Remember that fear is a false mask worn by someone lacking self-trust and courage to take risks and handle any situation. Trusting your heart will give you the confidence to face your fears directly.

Take Action with Courage

Being courageous means inquiring about or understanding your reality and the world. So next time when fear knocks at your door, remember it as another attempt at your deep emotions unburied themselves from your past, trying to make your future uncertain by inflicting a feeling of cowardly—a sense of no faith, fear, and no respect for one’s being. You may welcome the fear but never allow to unpack the luggage. Just remember that fear is much covering them out of false identity, which reveals itself if courage comes and blows them away like the wind. You must not listen to him and follow his steps; just put aside and go ahead to the path of courage. Courage and fear are of the same pole, so they are apart. Where courage comes, fear goes, and everything else follows. 

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