In the politically charged environment we live in (among other things), it is easy to find reasons to be fearful. Fearful of people, events and even leaving the house in some cases. Often times our fears are unfounded and cause us to react in ways we wouldn't otherwise without the proper Strategies to effectively manage our fears. Fear is something we all face, as it is a part of human nature - a good reason to employ several strategies to effectively deal with it.

Whether the fear is related to a relationship, money, family or even political backlash, there are 4 strategies to get familiar with to help ease the burden of the unnecessary stress (in most cases). It is important to realize up front that fear is not something that will ever go away entirely. In fact, it is an emotion that is critical to our survival as a human race - the focus should be on the way in which we deal with the fears that hijack our behavior. 

Give these 4 strategies a try the next time you are fearful:

1. Write in a Journal -Most of us do not let others onto our fears for a variety of reasons we won't get into but there is one way we can hide our fears from plain view but still put it 'out-there' by getting thoughts into a journal. With the invent of social media, the temptation to put every thought and feeling out there for the world to see is intriguing. Why? Perhaps, it makes us feel better for that small moment but often times has a repercussion because we react with emotion rather than rational, well thought-out logic. Journaling is a more private way to help understand the fear while providing a safe-guard.

2. Introduce Perspective - Think about all of the times you spent sleepless nights thinking about the presentation being prepared for a boss or thinking about all of the bills that need to be paid. How many times have you gotten through the presentation and said, "that wasn't nearly as bad as I thought!". We all have! Before letting the fear take over, it is important to introduce perspective to evaluate if the fear is truly founded. Most of the time it is an unfounded reaction as a result of the chemicals flowing through the human body.  

3. Recall the Result of other Fearful Times - Life throws many curve balls that influence the way we think and react all of the time - some of these curve balls result in fear that goes unchecked. Thinking about a time where fear was imminent but the result wasn't all that bad will help remind the brain the outcome wasn't all that bad after-all. Sometimes the journey is difficult at the moment but the result, often times, is well worth the effort (if only the emotion of 'fear' didn't exist!). 

4. Address the Fear Head-on - Perhaps, one of the most effective strategies to address fear is by facing it head-on. It is impossible, in most cases, to predict the way in which something will play out. Why not just go for it? The less we allow ourselves to think about our fears, the less fearful we will ultimately be. Forgetting the fear exists and not acknowledging it isn't productive either so take the fear as a challenge to overcome.