Whether small or crippling, we face our fears every day. But when we let certain fears hold us back, we miss out on opportunities for greatness. And what’s frustrating is that most of these fears are simply just being afraid of the unknown, or the possible negative outcomes that are unfounded. Here are some ways to start living your life without fear.

Retrain your brain

A lot of our fears stem from thought patterns that we’ve created on our own and become accustomed to. The key is recognizing when these thought patterns take hold, and breaking out of them by focusing on the positives.

See problems as opportunities

There’s no way to avoid running into problems as we go through life. But if you can flip the switch and start seeing these situations as opportunities to learn or grow (even if it’s learning what NOT to do), then it’ll get easier and easier to be less fearful of the unknown or negative outcomes.

Fake it till you make it

Having a false sense of confidence isn’t a bad thing when you’re facing your fears. This could be pretending to be someone with no fear, pretending for a short period of time that the things you’re afraid of don’t matter, or just imagining what it would be like if you weren’t afraid. Any of these tactics might help you see that your fear isn’t as big a deal as you’ve worked it up to be.

Reevaluate

Sometimes we get so caught up in the what-ifs or millions of possible negative outcomes that we forget that they aren’t really the end of the world. For every negative outcome you can think of, think of something positive that cancels it out. Chances are, the things that really matter in life will still be there to catch you if you fall.

Sharing is caring

Being selfless and sharing what you have is a fast and easy way to get out of your head and increase your positive feelings. When we’re afraid, a lot of that fear is of emotion, and can make us feel judged and want to isolate ourselves. Getting out and seeing the good in others helps you connect and feel more connected which helps calm your fears.

Be proactive

Stop and break down your fear and dissect the parts of it that you can’t control. Put those aside and focus on the things you can, and tackle those as best you can. Once you’re working towards a solution then the problem will seem more manageable, and the things that are out of your hands won’t seem as important because you’re already working to find a solution.