Step into Living Courageously
by Vladimir Gashinsky
When life becomes difficult, it can be scary taking the first step to find the courage to do something about the challenge at hand. We often feel like running when life become too challenging. Fear can make us shy away from taking chances or grabbing an opportunity. It can also make us slow to act because we may fail or believe that it won’t work out anyway.
Fear is not always a bad thing—it keeps us safe by warning us of danger—but it can also become a virus that eats away at our determination, goals and dreams, even our will to live. That type of fear can be toxic and eventually defeat us. Unfortunately, trying to control fear doesn’t often work and only fuels anxiety. Here are some pointers on dealing with fear.
- Identify the fear. Recognition is the most fundamental step to self-betterment. If we know what we’re are afraid of, we can do something about it, and that’s the start of living courageously.
- Define core values. Identify what we hold dear and what gives meaning and direction to our lives. Such values can include love, belonging, achieving goals or a moral compass. Adhering to core values provides the confidence to say no to fear and yes to life. If we know who we are and what is important to us, then we know where we are going in life.
- Associate with positive people. It’s wise to phase out the people that try to put us down, are negative about life and don’t believe in us.
- Live in the present. Fear is powerful because it lives in our imagination and is largely based on past experiences. It causes us to predict a future that doesn’t exist. This is what keeps us stuck. To break the grip of fear, focus on what is “now”—the present moment. Experiencing the now actually prepares us for the future. This is the essence of mindfulness, which means “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmental manner.”
- Meditation helps increase mindfulness and a sense of the present. There are many meditation techniques. It is up to us to find those that we most resonate with and provide the most benefit.
Consistency is key. The more we practice these concepts, the more they become instilled within us. Stay focused and live the life we were born to live—courageously.
Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS, provides holistic and biological dentistry at Holistic Dental Center, located at 91 Millburn Ave., Millburn, NJ. For information, call 973-457-4688 or visit HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com. See ad on page, XX.
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