How to free yourself from fear?

By Hanne

Life is series of moments, some sad and some happy. But even the moment we are on top of our happiness, fear is present. It is a fear that that moment will end, and we have to give it up. However, the biggest fear in life is probably the fear of illness or death. Maybe we are afraid for our health or the death of someone important to us, the day that person is gone. How to free yourself from fear? Can you do that, and how is it done?

HOW TO FREE YOURSELF FROM FEAR?

Do you recognize your fears? Can you identify those moments or when fear is controlling your behavior? Have you ever wondered how you could be happier if you just put your worries aside? Unfortunately, ignoring fear does not eliminate it. You can learn to function with it and eventually let it go. But how, how to let go of fear? In all its simplicity, we must face our fear, identify its source and observe it become acquainted with it. It means observing it from many different angles, not only from the one we usually observe it.

We often fear things that are beyond ourselves and entirely beyond our control. It keeps us stuck in the past or worrying about the future. If and when we understand this and face it, we can settle into this moment and state that all is well in this moment. There is nothing to fear at the moment; everything is fine.

Fear vs Life

Life is about the countless choices we make every day. Choices are often driven by fear, which is why we have to weigh options, accept risks. We choose and take those risks or let our fears control us and possibly fail to do some things because of it.

It may be a job that we downright hate, but we fear for our livelihood, and therefore we dare not think of alternatives to the work in question. We settle. Perhaps we battle with choices in our work. We may act and carry out orders from the above authorities, which we know are wrong. But we do so because we fear for our work. We make our choices out of fear and, at the same time, act against ourselves. Or we choose to act as we see fit and what we know is right and at the same time accept the risk of losing our jobs. Ultimately, whether we do this or that, we cannot be 100% sure that our livelihood and work are guaranteed because it is simply not in our hands.

This is how fear is present in our choices, and if we give it too much power, it will begin to rule our lives. The question is, do we want to live in fear? Do we want to give such a big chunk of our lives to that feeling? For a feeling that has primarily gotten its proportions only in our minds?

How to Let go of Fear?

I share personal experience of facing fear. The event took place in 2018. At the time, I was living in Indonesia, on the small island of Gili Air, which was shaken by a powerful earthquake in the twilight of August night. Around one hundred people gathered on the island’s only small hill to spend their nights, and as the aftershocks shook the island time and time again, it was time to call a fear called the death to a closer look. The result of the review was approval. Acceptance that if any of the many aftershocks raised a tsunami, we would all be wiped with it.

My way was to accept the thing and let go of it. I thought if it is intended that I die that night, then so be it. It was the only thing I could do at that point, and by accepting this, it was easier to let go of fear. And to make peace with it. It has been a good way even after that experience.

Worst Case Scenario

I have also mentioned my stage fright before. I was dealing with it by escaping the situations where I would have to be in front of people. I completely turned my back on that fear and often tried to move the problem to the future; however, it didn’t make the fear go away. I did not address or face it in any way, and I am pretty sure that I even made the situation worse. If we let fear rule our lives, we will never be wholly free but trapped in prison created by our minds.

Liberation from fear is the path to total freedom. But to move towards it, fear must be faced. It needs to be addressed, understood, and the associated consequences need to be accepted. What is the worst thing that can happen? When you can deal with fear through a worst-case scenario, it becomes easier to accept it. And almost automatically after that, you find yourself experiencing your feelings of anxiety and its object in a new way, and it’s no longer a ghost that haunts you. Only with approval will we be able to let go and be totally free.