How to be Brave: 5 Tips

This past week I began my job as Electrician’s Apprentice for a local electrical company in Wyoming. As I headed into this job early Monday morning I was gripped with fear, anxiety, and doubt. When I drove up to the construction site, and saw myriad men walking purposefully around this elementary school in hard hats, and orange jackets I wanted to turn my little feminine flowered car around, and drive far away. But somehow, I marched through all the bedlam towards my summer job with a beating heart, but a determination that superseded my fear. Everything turned out fabulously, and my fears came to naught.

In lieu of the illogical, and crippling fear I am often prey to when it comes to new things, I want to give you a boost of courage. A post championing the virtues, and various vicissitudes of doing something vastly out of your comfort zone like working in electrical even though you are a Theatre major, or sky diving, or finally starting your own business or, you know, eating a pomegranate for the first time {which are utterly delicious by the way. You should go eat one. Now.}. I could write a pithy post about how to conquer your fear, and finally get off your coach. But I want to give you more than just motivational drivel. I want to share my own experiences, and what has worked for me.

So here is a list of tried and true techniques {I just love using alliterations in this post} that I have found to work . A list that will help you when you are afraid to try something new, and simply want to run away.

1. Pray about it.

The Bible gives us a tried, and true way to deal with anxiety. Pray. If you believe that the Bible is, indeed, fact than you need to grab ahold of it, and believe in its truth.

2. Use a Mantra

I never used to believe in mantras. But lately I have utilized them more, and more. This past spring when I was asked to perform a lyrical dance for my college’s concert choir spring concert I was gripped with fear. Although I have grown up dancing since I was five, I had not danced in over two years–and the fear was palpable, and the urge to run away was very, very strong. I wanted to make up an excuse (broken ankle? I could buy crutches…), and get out of it–but instead I leaned heavily on support from my family, and friends, and a mantra which I put as the background of my computer: “Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly” -Robert H. Schuller. I clung to this mantra, and took captive every thought {2 Corinthians 2:5} until I walked unto that stage, and performed my dance. And I am so glad that I did.

3. Make it a habit.

I find that the more I do things that scare me, the stronger I get in the midst of fear. I have, at times, a crazy kind of delight in heading into a scary situation. I have found the more I do things that are outside of my comfort zone, the better I get at handling my own anxiety.

4. Do not run away.

Sometimes the most courageous thing that you can do is to simply plant your feet, and choose not to run for the nearest exit. There is a lot of courage in simply sticking it out, even if you are afraid.

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5.Embrace your support team.

Talk to your friends, and family about what you want to do. Accept their help. Listen to their encouragement. Sometimes when I am in the headlock of fear what I most need to do is make a quick phone call to my parents, or best friends to talk about it. Other people can see more clearly, at times, than I can. When I am blinded by fear I have to call up someone who knows me, and depend on their eyes for the encouragement, faith, and push I need to accomplish great things.

So go out and conquer your fear. Have courage. Make a mantra. Let go of perfectionism. Do that one thing that you have been dreading. You will not regret it, trust me. 

Was there ever a time you ignored the fear, and jumped into something outside of your comfort zone? I would love to hear about it!