Are you struggling to let go of fear, worry, and indecision? You’re not alone! Many people find it difficult to let go of the negative thoughts and emotions that hold them back. But with a little bit of work, you can learn how to let go of fear, worry, and indecision.
How to let go of fear
1. Identify your fear, worry, and indecision
The first step in learning to let go of fear, worry, and indecision is recognizing when you are experiencing these negative emotions. Sometimes we need a little help from our friends! If you’d like, consider asking a loved one to help you identify when these feelings might be affecting your ability to enjoy life. Once the problem areas have been identified, it will be easier to move on to step two!
2. Think positively about your fear, worry, and indecision
It can be hard to think about anything else when you’re feeling overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, or indecisiveness. So instead of thinking “I am afraid,” try thinking, “I feel afraid.” Changing your thoughts to be less personal may help you detach from those negative emotions and let them go.
3. Find the reason why you are afraid, anxious, or indecisive
Sometimes we can’t move past our fear, worry, or indecision until we know why we feel the way we do. This is especially true if there’s something specific causing your distress (e.g., a health problem). If this is the case for you, try looking into solutions to address what you’re dealing with. It may not always lead to a complete resolution of the problem, but at least you will have done everything in your power to find a way forward!
4. Practice deep breathing and meditation
Deep breathing and meditation can help you calm your mind and let go of negative thoughts. Try practicing deep breathing for a minute or two every day until it becomes a habit. Meditation is also an excellent way to reconnect with the present moment.
5. Avoid negative situations that make you anxious or unproductive
Sometimes we get caught up in situations that make us anxious or unproductive (e.g., long commutes, crowded parties). The longer we stay in these situations, the worse we feel about ourselves! So when possible, find ways to avoid places where you are likely to feel anxious, overwhelmed, or indecisive.
6. Get yourself into a good mood
When you’re in a bad mood, your subconscious is more likely to focus on what’s wrong with your life instead of what’s right! So make an effort to stay upbeat by doing things that make you happy (e.g., listening to music, spending time with friends). You can also try taking some time out for yourself each day before bed. Relaxing activities like reading a book or taking a warm bath may help you sleep better at night.
7. Regularly review your life goals
Take some time each week to think about where you would like to be in the future (e.g., career goals, relationship goals). Whenever you notice that your thoughts have drifted into the negative, take a moment to remind yourself of why you are working so hard. By regularly reviewing your life goals, you will be less likely to focus on what’s holding you back.
8. Do something that frightens you!
No matter how much fear, worry, and indecision are holding you back — if anything, these emotions only become worse when we avoid what scares us! So instead of spinning your wheels worrying about big decisions, force yourself to face those fears head-on. After all — the more risks you take in life, the more rewards you obtain! It may also help to remember that no one likes a “Debbie Downer” who never takes a chance.
9. Don’t declare failure before you even try
Fear, worry, and indecision can sometimes lead to us declaring failure before we even begin! Unfortunately, this is a widespread problem for people afraid of trying something new (e.g., public speaking, doing stand-up comedy). Make an effort not to declare yourself a loser until you have tried your best — you don’t want to regret giving up too soon!
10. Remember that no one can live in fear forever
If you’re currently living with fear, anxiety, or indecisiveness — try telling yourself that this won’t last forever. Things will improve by themselves eventually, but you will need patience and persistence to get there. It also helps to remember that fear and worry are often caused by trying to predict the future (e.g., “What if I get stuck in a dead-end job?”). We can’t know what will happen most of the time, so try focusing on your present instead.
11. Don’t dwell on the past
Sometimes you will need to look back at your past experiences to move forward – but most of the time, dwelling on adverse events from our past does nothing more than make us feel terrible! So whenever you find yourself thinking about all the things that went wrong in the past, learn from them and then let go and focus on something positive in your life today.
