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6 Tips for Overcoming Fear & Finding Bravery
By Sarah Thomsen
When it comes to facing and overcoming fear being charged by a mama grizzly bear and her two cubs was the real mother lovin’ deal! For me this was the definition of fear.
Using Fear as a Catalyst for Bravery
I was working remotely in the Canadian Rockies alone, for months at a time, and decided to go for a stroll one morning. It happened all at once, with no warning as I came around a corner of the trail. I surprised her; well, we surprised each other. She stood up on her back feet and roared then slammed herself onto the ground—and that’s when she started to run straight towards me.
I saw her flesh rippling every time her paws smashed back to the earth. I stood my ground and didn't move. I had no choice. I had to face this. I planted my feet and started talking as calmly as I could, “You need to slow down, Bear. You need to go a little slower.”
She sprinted towards me with her 800 pounds of muscle and claws and I just kept talking slowly, calmly. About two feet from my face, she stopped. My nostrils filled with her scent and we stared at each other eye -to- eye and suddenly, she turned 90 degrees and ran into the forest, two little cubs in tow. All in a matter of seconds, fear forced itself into my body like a bolt of lightning shoots through to the ground, but more liquidy—pouring itself, supercharged through every cell.
I turned warm. My stomach clenched and flipped and my fingertips went cold. My breath became shallow. But in the moment where I made the decision to stay and face this giant bear, I remember forcing myself to take a deeper breath.
That thrilling event was a few years ago but it really gave me the sense of what I am capable of standing up against and it made me think deeply about fear and bravery and how they are connected. It made me wonder if me being fearful of any given situation is the basis of my bravery. I can tell you right now that I can’t control my fears; they seem to fly at me and punch me in the face with no warning! Like going for a stroll and then getting charged by a grizzly bear! Zero heads up! So I ask myself, “If I can’t control my fears, then how am I able to flex into bravery with more fluidity and grace?” Am I supposed to use my FEAR as the springboard for my BRAVERY?
In an answer to my questions about the connection between fear and bravery, here are 6 tips that I think help me continue to develop my fears into bravery.
6 Teeny Tiny Magical Alchemist Recipes for Transforming FEAR into BRAVERY
1. Honour your bravery.
Small, brave actions happen several times a day. I try to take notice of them and give them the acknowledgment they deserve. For me, a good example of this is heading towards difficult conversations instead of leaving them for another day. My recognition of my own abundant bravery will in turn create more of it. I high five myself all the time! I look like a total idiot but who the fuck cares!
2. Get comfortable at being uncomfortable.
I try to choose situations more often that make me feel challenged and unsure. I make sure there isn't too much risk, but enough confrontation to help me steadily grow. For example, taking martial arts—there are tons of uncomfortable situations here to explore in a safe environment.
3. Learn to chill the fuck out.
Relaxing into a moment, putting my phone away, and getting into nature does wonders for my mental and physical health. If you don’t have a “Chill the Fuck Out” practice yet, then it’s time to jump on the bandwagon. Meditation, daily naps, walking, call it what you want but it's so important. I sincerely believe that this practice/training helped me find that deeper breath when I faced that bear.
4. Be consistent with your attitude.
If I want to change I need to keep going and know that by exercising my willingness to develop everyday that I will soon be more brave than I was before. If I train and practice bravery then the conclusion would be that I become more brave. Patience, persistence and practice. Patience is a big deal here.
5. Nail down what you’re nailing.
I try to identify what I am good at. What are the things I have done that are fucking awesome!? Telling myself that I am amazing at the things I’m exceptional at helps build my self- confidence and empowers me to take risks. I write these down and put them somewhere for a reminder and watch the list grow.
6. Be brave enough to suck at something new.
Let your big ole’ fat ego take a hike here and just let yourself make mistakes. We didn’t learn how to walk in a day! When I was a baby I was brave enough to fall down and get hurt (both physically and emotionally) over and over and over again until I learned how to RUN! How cool is that!? I’m going to take those baby steps and be okay with all my failures.
How Will You Overcome Fear and Be More Brave?
Choosing to step out of my comfort zone and be more courageous makes me a more versatile person and broadens my experiences as a human. When I felt the first thought of fear course its way through my mind and body when I saw that mama grizzly my REACTION was FEAR but when I choose to move towards that fear instead of shrink away, my DECISION was BRAVERY.
My decision to be vulnerable enough to learn from the face of fear itself is the catalyst for the transformation into bravery. This is how I grow in bravery and ROAR back at fear!
Read more on how to overcome your fear!
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