Some of the most common fears that people have are the fear of failure, rejection or criticism, and the loss of love or financial stability. Unfortunately, fears such as these can keep us from taking opportunities and from living our best life. But there are things you can do to help alleviate your fears.

Take Action
Inaction results in more fear and doubt; action builds confidence. Therefore, it is best to resolve fears as soon as possible. Thinking about what we are afraid of and not taking action to resolve it only builds the fear in our minds. But when we take action, we often find that the thing we were afraid of was actually easy to overcome once we took action.

Taking Small Steps
Sometimes we are unable to simply eliminate the fear by taking one action, and instead, need to take smaller steps. For example, if you have a fear of public speaking but would like to be able to speak in front of thousands of people, you would start by speaking in front of a few people and gradually have larger and larger audiences. By taking gradual steps, your confidence will grow while your fear will gradually diminish.

Eliminate Perfectionism
Fear often comes from the idea that we need to do things perfectly. For example, you might be afraid that you will make a mistake during a presentation or performance. But a mistake might actually make the presentation more interesting or funny.

Use Visualization
Practice positive affirmations and visualizing yourself as confident and doing well in the area that you fear. This image of you will eventually be engrained in your subconscious mind and you will see yourself more positively. Also, acting like the confident person that you want to be will help you to become that person.

Breathing and Meditation
If you experience severe anxiety from fear, your heart will beat faster. To ease the anxiety, place your hands on your abdomen and take slow and deep breaths. Practicing meditation techniques is another way to ease fear and clear your mind. When you slow down your thoughts, you will slow down the momentum of the negative thoughts that are causing your anxiety.

Consult with a Coach
Perhaps you have a fear of success or failure, a fear of public speaking, or another type of fear. A coach can help you to understand your fears, the causes behind them, and help you to overcome them.