When we feel afraid, our bodies prepare for action. Our heart rate speeds up and our muscles tense so that we’re ready to fight or flee, depending on what threat manifests. In that heightened state, we’re more likely to proceed with caution, assess our surroundings, and find the safest path forward. The trouble comes when fear paralyzes us, when we get stuck in that state of increased tension. To move past those fears that can hold us back, we must face them.
When we’re young, facing what we’re afraid of can be as simple as bravely checking the closet for monsters. But as we get older, fear tends to arise in more complex ways. As adults, we might fear opening up emotionally, taking risks, or trying new things, and some of these fears can hamper the lives we wish to live.
Confronting our fears takes practice. It helps to start with a deep breath, consider the situation, and determine if there is an actual threat or if our imaginations are getting the better of us. And it’s often helpful to talk about what scares us with family, friends, or a professional. To get you started, we’ve collected 12 inspiring quotes about facing your fears and persevering, whether your challenges are big or small.
Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.Judy Blume
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.Marie Curie
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.Helen Keller
Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are OK. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.Thích Nhất Hạnh
Do one thing every day that scares you.Eleanor Roosevelt
Do what you fear and fear disappears.David J Schwartz
Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back.Babe Ruth
Facing it, always facing it, that’s the way to get through. Face it.Conrad Joseph
Do not be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.John Rockefeller
Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.Pema Chödrön
We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.Marilyn Monroe
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” You must do the thing you think you cannot do.Eleanor Roosevelt
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