12 Genius Little Tricks The Most Courageous People Use Every Day
To face challenges and struggles, you must leave your fears behind.
DavideAngelini / Shutterstock One of the key sayings in life is to never let fear decide your future or your fate. While that may seem easier said than done, learning how to be courageous, even in the face of our biggest fears, can feel like a difficult obstacle to overcome.
Lots of times, our goals in life are put to a halt because of our fears. The "what-ifs" that pop into our heads become distracting. But that's why we need to remind ourselves every day to be courageous, because we choose our path by our own free will.
Having courage is more about being brave rather than fearless. So, remember that there's no more letting fear dictate what we can and cannot do.
Here are 12 little tricks to be more courageous every single day
1. Let yourself be vulnerable
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Lots of people experience fear and might be afraid to be vulnerable, letting other people know their deepest feelings and thoughts. But vulnerability is important for our health and well-being.
Learning to embrace vulnerability will change the way you live your life for the better. When you allow yourself to open up to others, there is no more fear in showing the world the real you.
People will like you more for doing this and you will find it much easier to communicate.
2. Admit your fears
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Admitting your fears to yourself or another person you trust is one of the first steps in becoming courageous. By admitting your fears, you're calling attention to them and letting yourself know what you need to work on.
According to personal development coach Christine Hourd, fear is a barrier that shields you from uncertainty.
"Once you understand what this fear is and define it, the next step is easier. Within this moment of awareness, courage materializes and continues to support you in overcoming obstacles in the way of achieving your goals," she says.
So, to deal with your fears, you must first admit what they are and how they affect your everyday life. It might be scary to admit, but talking to someone can help — and it's also the start of a courageous act.
3. Face your fears head-on
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In order to live more courageously, you must be willing to notice a worry you have, such as public speaking or talking to a stranger, and be open to stepping out of your comfort zone to face it.
Dating coach Ronnie Ann Ryan adds that there are steps you need to take in order to get beyond that fear.
"If you are afraid to date, start small by simply smiling at people you see passing by on the street. Next, try saying hello, starting to strike up conversations, and getting more comfortable interacting with strangers. This builds confidence as you gain experience talking to people you don't know," she says.
4. Keep a positive mindset
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The reason you might not live more courageously is because of a negative attitude. This prevents you from achieving your goals, dreams and desires.
It's much more difficult to get what you want out of life with a negative mindset. So, rather than wallowing in self-doubt and fear, start small with positive thoughts, incorporating positive affirmations into your life. See what happens.
5. Engage in stress-reducing methods
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You may feel stuck in life and unable to think due to stress and negative energy holding you back. Stress can take a toll on both your emotional and physical health, after all.
Stress-reducing methods are an incredible way to be courageous. So, make sure you're eating right, sleeping enough, and exercising occasionally, as these actions will significantly improve your stress levels. Then, you can work to get yourself better in other ways.
6. Demonstrate bravery in your daily life
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In order to be more courageous, you have to start displaying courage in life. This may mean something as small as being the better person and reaching out to a distant friend, or having the courage to ask someone out that you like.
Whatever the case, start thinking of ways you can demonstrate courage by building your confidence each time you do it. You never know where courage can take you.
7. Address failure and push through it
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We all fail in life at one point or another. It's just part of life! But failure teaches us that we all have our faults and don't always succeed, but can get back up and try again.
If you let failure determine your life and let it push you backwards, you will never get anywhere. Make sure to push through your mistakes and come out the other side a greater person.
8. Learn to cope with uncertainties
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Many people get overwhelmed by everything that could go wrong, instead of thinking of all the things that could go right.
The uncertainties of life can happen at any moment, but that's something we shouldn't be terrified of — we should be able to cope with it and then think about the positives.
If you fear you might lose something, figure out ways you can keep whatever you're afraid to lose, using coping mechanisms to help. The absence of fear will make those uncertainties wash away.
9. Keep pushing yourself to learn
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No one has life figured out. We are constantly learning new things every day. But to be more courageous, we need to embrace new opportunities and enjoy learning new things.
Let someone else teach you something instead of trying to figure it out all on your own. Learning from other people is a great step towards living courageously.
10. Accept the challenges life throws you
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Not all challenges need to be negative! So when you feel like life is really getting you down, accept the challenges for what they are and understand how they highlight your mental and physical abilities.
Most of the time, the fear-based decisions are all in your head. Challenge your fears and win over them. Don't lose everything you've worked for just by worrying about what will be.
11. Leave your comfort zone
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Leaving your comfort zone takes time, but you must do so in order to grow as a person. Purposely choose scenarios that make you uncomfortable and push through them to exercise your courage.
If you refuse to leave the confines and limitations you're used to, you will never feel fully satisfied. It's okay to take a few risks if it means helping your personal development.
12. Never hesitate to take a leap of faith
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An essential part of being courageous is not hesitating. When you hesitate, you get into your head and start to overthink. And overthinking is where courage goes to die.
So, take hesitation out of the equation and instead dive right in. You will immediately feel more courageous. Never pause, just leap into life.
Megan Hatch is a multimedia journalist and frequent contributor to YourTango. Her bylines have appeared on Medium, Patch, BuzzFeed, SAGE Publishing, Voice of America, as well as dozens of independent television and online publications.