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Remember that you choose your own path, so block out your fears.
By Megan Hatch — Last updated on Mar 23, 2023
One of the key sayings in life is to never let fear decide your future or your fate. While that may seem easier said than done, learning how to be more courageous, even in the face of our biggest fears, can feel like a difficult obstacle to overcome.
Lots of times, our goals in life are put to a halt because of our fears. The "what-ifs" that pop into your head become distracting. But that's why we need to remind ourselves every day to be courageous and try to face our fears, because we choose our life path by our own free will.
According to the dictionary, courage is the "mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." So, having courage is more about being brave rather than fearless. So, remember that there's no more letting fear dictate what we can and cannot do.
How To Be More Courageous In Your Own Life
1. Let yourself be vulnerable.
Lots of people experience fear and might be afraid to be vulnerable, letting another person know their deepest feelings and thoughts. However, it's something that's important for our health and well-being.
Learning to embrace vulnerability will change the way you live your life for the better. No more feeling fearful and being scared to open up and show the world the real you. People will like you more for doing this and you will find it easier to communicate.
2. Admit your fears.
Admitting your fears to yourself or another person you trust is one of the first steps in becoming more courageous. By admitting your fears, you are calling attention to them and letting yourself know what you have to work on.
According to personal development coach Christine Hourd, fear is a barrier that shields you from uncertainty.
"Once you understand what this fear is and define it, the next step is easier. Within this moment of awareness, courage materializes and continues to support you in overcoming obstacles in the way of achieving your goals,” she says.
In order to deal with your fears, you must first admit what they are and how they affect your everyday life. It might be scary to admit, but talking to someone can help, and it is also the start of a courageous act.
3. Face your fears head-on.
In order to live more courageously, you have to be willing to notice a fear you might have, such as public speaking or talking to a stranger, and be willing to step out of your comfort zone to face it.
Adds dating coach Ronnie Ann Ryan, "You have to take steps to get beyond that fear. So, if you are afraid to date, start small by simply smiling at people you see passing by on the street. Next, try saying hello, starting to strike up conversations, and getting more comfortable interacting with strangers. This builds confidence as you gain experience talking to people you don't know."
4. Keep a positive mindset.
The reason you might not live more courageously is because of a negative attitude and, in general, this is preventing you from achieving your goals, dreams and desires. It's much more difficult to get what you want out of life with a negative mindset.
Try starting small through positive thoughts and incorporating more positive affirmations into your life. See what happens.
5. Engage in stress-reducing methods.
You may feel stuck in life and unable to think due to your stress and energy holding you back. Stress can take a toll not just on your emotional health but on your physical health as well.
Make sure you're eating right, sleeping enough, and exercising occasionally, as these three things will significantly improve your stress levels. Then, you can work to get yourself better, emotionally and physically.
6. Demonstrate courage in your daily life.
In order to be more courageous, you have to start displaying courage in life. This may mean something as small as being the better person and reaching out to a distant friend or having the courage to ask someone out that you like.
Whatever the case, start thinking of ways you can demonstrate courage by building your confidence each time you do it. You never know where courage can take you.
7. Address failure and push through it.
We all fail in life at one point or another. But failure is an important thing, as it teaches us that we all have our faults and don't always succeed, but can get back up and try again.
If you let failure determine your life and let it push you backwards, you will never get anywhere. Make sure to stay positive even when you fail and keep on pushing.
8. Learn to cope with uncertainties.
We often get overwhelmed by everything that could go wrong instead of thinking of all the things that could go right. The uncertainties of life can happen at any moment, but that's something we shouldn't be terrified of — we should be able to cope with it and then think about the positives.
If you fear you might lose something, figure out ways you can keep whatever it is you are afraid to lose, using coping mechanisms to help. The absence of fear will make our uncertainties wash away.
9. Keep pushing yourself to learn.
No one has life figured out. We are constantly learning new things every day. So, to be more courageous, we need to embrace new opportunities and enjoy learning new things.
Let someone else teach you something instead of trying to figure it out all on your own. Learning from other people is a great step towards living courageously.
10. Accept the challenges life throws you.
Not all challenges need to be negative. Accept challenges that highlight both your mental and physical abilities.
Most of the time, the fear-based decisions are all in your head. Challenge your fears and win over them. Don't lose everything you've worked for by worrying about what will be.
11. Leave your comfort zone.
Leaving your comfort zone takes time, but you must do so in order to grow as a person. Choose scenarios that make you uncomfortable and push through them to exercise your courage.
If you refuse to leave the confines and limitations you are used to, you will never feel fully satisfied. So take a few risks and get out there.
12. Never hesitate to take a leap of faith.
One way to be more courageous is to stop hesitating. When you hesitate, you get into your head and start to overthink. And overthinking is where courage goes to die.
So, take hesitation out of the equation and you will immediately feel more courageous. Never pause, just leap into life.
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Megan Hatch is a former contributor to YourTango who has had bylines on Medium, Buzzfeed, MSN Canada, Patch, Voice of America, Canyon News, and others.