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The Opposite of Fear is Faith~ Unknown
Everyone feels afraid at some point -- whether it's a gnawing, anxious feeling or a paralyzing phobia. Any change, even positive changes like marriage or a promotion, can prompt feelings of fear. The Bible offers powerful alternatives to those voices, reminding readers repeatedly, "Do not be afraid." There are Bible verses to help you overcome fears and anxieties in your life.
The Word
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7) (American Standard Version) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and
of love, and of a sound mind.
The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1
So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can Man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)
Fear is the opposite of faith. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mk. 4:35-41
Forgiveness. Forgiving is not condoning Your emotions and intellect Mt. 18:21-35; Rms. 14:17
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Pr. 3:5
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Truths
As for the fear from past experiences, this too can dissolve into mere memory by placing it in its proper perspective - past. It is a past event, it does not belong to my present, and certainly not to my future.
Even if things go apparently wrong there is always a positive experience and lesson to be learned, which will make the next experience more enriching.
The faith reminds me that the future holds whatever I desire. So if my view of the future is fearful, so be it. However, if my view of the future is something wonderful and desirable, then so be that also.
Be it simply stated that fear, based on how one sees the past and the future, can be eliminated. It is a matter of changing one's perspective. Stand on a mountain top and the vast city below looks like an insect colony. The city hasn't shrunk, but my perspective of the city has changed.
Take a different viewpoint and the fear becomes an interesting lesson. Fear paralyzes, knowledge empowers.
It is knowing what the thing is that has caused fear and knowing that I am a channel for Divine energy. How I channel that energy depends on my perspective, my attitude and my intentions. When next you face fear, take a step back and look at the fear. What is it you are fearing, a past recollection, or a future fantasy? For that is all it is. So many worry about what has not happened. Why not instead put that energy into seeing a positive and desirable outcome? Fear is only a figment of your imagination. Use your imagination to dispel it and imagine a bright future for yourself.
As well, he urges worriers to find out more information about the issue that is troubling them, or make sure that their information is correct. Another step to reduce worry is to make a plan and take action and take "care of your brain" by sleeping enough, getting exercise, and eating a healthy diet (without a "lot of carbs, junk food, alcohol, drugs, etc). Hallowell encourages worriers to get "regular doses of positive human contact" such as "a hug or a warm pat on the back". Finally, he suggests that worriers let the problem go rather than gathering them around themselves.[3]
Feeling fearful detracts from your performance, he said, by causing you to focus on yourself rather than your mission.
Instead, he said you need to literally lose yourself in the moment -- forget about who you are and focus on what you want to achieve. But in order to make that happen, you first need to build the habits/tools that will serve you when it comes time to share your talents.
Tools
Raise your standards. Most people have one set of standards for how they perform when they are practicing, and a much higher set for the "big day." A more effective approach is to have the same high standards every time you practice your craft, he said. "You want to maximize your habits so you don't have to use your intellect to remember what to do," he said. Meticulously executing every action requires dedication, but it pays off when you can relax during your performance and trust the habits you have established, he said. "It's exhausting, but worthwhile."
Simulate the entire performance experience -- 50 times. Once you know how to complete each element of your performance, put it all together and go through it again and again. For a golfer, for example, this would mean not just swinging at the ball, but walking up, assessing the situation, assuming your stance, swinging and following through. "Repeat the entire process a minimum of 50 times before any performance," Nelsen said. "Your level of nerves will be inversely proportional to your amount of preparation."
"Flawlessness" is not the primary goal. It's important to minimize mistakes, but an error-free performance is not the ultimate test of your abilities, Nelsen said. "In my opinion, only a computer is flawless. What makes a performer good is that he or she is human, and brings to the art something more than what is written on the page. Otherwise computers would be doing all the recordings," he said. The best performances are memorable not because they are perfect but because they are extraordinary. He tells the story of a performer trying out for the Montreal Symphony who, despite missing more notes than anyone else, won the audition. "The director told me that he made so much music that they couldn't not hire him," he said. Focus on what you want to convey, over and above the technical qualities of your performance, and trust your preparation to keep your errors to a minimum.
Don't compete. "When you compete, you lower your standards," Nelsen said. "Was Mozart competing? Was Einstein competing?" You also run the risk of misjudging the playing field, Aiming for the best possible performance you can imagine is a far superior goal, he said.
Jeff Nelsen teaches seminars on "Fearlessness," which he describes as "a mental state of complete faith in the moment at hand and any task ahead."
Believe the audience is rooting for you. When it comes time to perform, "Don't choose the mental trap of thinking they're waiting for you to mess up," Nelsen said. "Instead, choose to believe the audience wants you to do well. Whether they really do or not, thinking they are a supportive group of listeners can constructively affect your performance."
Think of what to do, not what to avoid. Telling yourself not to do something only focuses your attention on the very thing you want to avoid. "It's like saying don't think of an elephant -- you immediately think of an elephant," Nelsen said. Replace any negative injunctions with positive mental instructions. Instead of telling yourself not to look down, think about looking up. Rather than concentrating on not dragging your feet when you run, think of picking up your knees. "Nature abhors a vacuum. You have to replace your 'don't's with powerful 'do's," he said.
Sell the story, not yourself. Rather than aiming to showcase your talents, allow your enthusiasm to infect the audience. You may want the audience to love you, but instead, Nelsen said, "make them an audience that loves what you love." This requires a constant effort to stay focused on what you are doing, not how you are being perceived. "It's about now. Now. Now. Stay in the present moment every second," Nelsen said.
Think of something you did right. After a performance, take a moment to note the things you did well, he said. "Don't start out by thinking about all the things you did wrong. You have to have a low tolerance for destructive thinking," he said. Once you have listed several things you liked about your performance, a process Nelsen called "strength-collecting," then you can move on to critique and identify a few areas for improvement.
Broaden your base of self-esteem. "The best thing I ever did for my horn playing was quit for several years, because when I picked it up again I didn't have all of my self worth and dreams invested in the one pursuit," he said. With other interests (such as magic, an element he occasionally adds to horn performances), Nelsen said he is able to approach his craft not only with more composure but also with the life experience that can enrich his music. "I tell all my students to be sure to have a life -- have friends, fun, date!" he said. "Otherwise, how will you understand the things that music is about?"
Aim too high. It's essential to reach for goals beyond what you think you can achieve, Nelsen said. One of his favorite quotes comes from late motivational speaker Bob Moawad: "Most people don't aim too high and miss, they aim too low and hit."
Fixing your strengths
Emphasize your strengths. Think positively about everything you do, and appreciate that you have made the effort.
Take a risk. New challenges are really opportunities to increase your self-confidence, and not something at which you are bound to win or lose.
Although it does take some effort, you can interrupt the process by telling yourself firmly but gently to "stop it" and then substituting new thoughts which lead you to a more positive outcome.
Engage in positive thoughts.
Think about your abilities for yourself: don't be so dependent on the opinions of others. Learning to evaluate your own achievements independently of what others think is a major step forward in developing greater self-confidence.
Recognize your insecurities. What does that voice in the back of your mind say? What makes you ashamed of yourself? This could be anything from acne, to regrets, or friends at school. Whatever is making you feel unworthy, ashamed, or inferior, identify it, give it a name, and write it down. You can also tear up these written pieces to eliminate negativity and start feeling positive on those points.
Realize you're Worth It. You need to realize that you are worth it. Make sure you don't diss yourself but point out the good things. Everyone has good things. Trust me.
Realize you're funny.
Talk about it with friends and loved ones. Wear it on your sleeve. Each day you should chip away at it; wear it down. There's no quick fix. Get to the root of the problem; focus on it and understand that you need to resolve each issue before you can move on. And that doesn't mean you have to get rid of whatever makes you feel bad (many times, you simply can't). You need to learn to accept yourself, your past, your circumstances as they are, without necessarily thinking of them as "bad". Keep in mind that we tend to bring about what we think about, so try to focus more on what you have as opposed to what you may lack.
Remember that no one is perfect. Even the most confident people have insecurities. Just tell yourself that you are awesome. "I am awesome and nobody else matters..." At some point in any of our lives, we may feel we lack something. That is reality. Learn that life is full of bumps down the road.
Identify your successes. Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you excel, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to take pride in them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which you've declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized. Express yourself, whether it's through art, music, writing, etc. Find something you enjoy. Everyone is born with talents and strengths. You can develop and excel in yours. If it's difficult to name two or three things you have some ability in or just plain love to do, think about things others do that you would like to do too and take some lessons or join an enthusiasts club. When you're following your passion, not only will it have a therapeutic effect, but you'll feel unique and accomplished, all of which can help build your self confidence. Plus, adding a variety of interests to your life will not only make you more confident, but it will increase your chances of meeting compatible friends!
Be thankful for what you have. A lot of the times, at the root of insecurity and lack of confidence is a feeling of not having enough of something, whether it's emotional validation, good luck, money, etc. By acknowledging and appreciating what you do have, you can combat the feeling of being incomplete and unsatisfied. Finding that inner peace will do wonders for your confidence.
Be Positive, even if you don't feel the same way. Avoid self-pity, or the pity and sympathy of others. Never allow others to make you feel inferior--they can only do so if you let them. If you continue to loathe and belittle yourself, others are going to do and believe likewise. Instead, speak positively about yourself, about your future, and about your progress. Do not be afraid to project your strengths and qualities to others. By doing so, you reinforce those ideas in your mind and encourage your growth in a positive direction. One important things is just: don't overdo it. Don't exagerate. Try to speak about yourself from a neutral perspective, so that you stay realistic about what you can do and cannot.
Being realistic is of paramount importance. Because neither should you think less of yourself, nor should you think that you are better than you really are. That is indeed a very difficult thing to do, but the thing is this: with an unrealistic view of your skills and your personality you might get a harder time being socially accepted, because you think you do things in one way, while others perceive them in another.
Accept compliments gracefully. Don't roll your eyes and say, "Yeah, right," or shrug it off. Take it to heart and respond positively ("Thank you" and a smile works well).
Look in the mirror and smile. Studies surrounding what's called the "facial feedback theory" suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to register certain emotions. So by looking in the mirror and smiling every day, you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.
Fake it. Along the same lines of smiling to make yourself feel happy, acting confident might actually make you believe it. Pretend you're a completely confident version of you; go through the motions and see how you feel!
Stick to your principles. It might be tough, but if you don't have something you can believe in, you don't have anything. If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. No matter what's happened in your life, you can always lay claim to the fact that from this day forward, you've followed your principles to the best of your ability.
Help others. When you know you're kind to the people around you, and are making a positive difference in other people's lives (even if it's just being kinder to the person who serves you coffee in the morning), you'll know that you are a positive force in the world--which will boost your self confidence. Just recognizing who or what you're like inside will help you become that on the outside. Exercise helps you build strength and confidence, increases libido, and has many other positive effects.
Always keep a smile on your face, that will build a lot of self-confidence.
Share your knowledge & your experience with others.
Don't over think it. Most people become insecure when they begin paying too much attention to what they are doing and the reactions to people around them. This can make people feel more self- conscious about their actions. Just be yourself and don't care about what other people think. Really, they are more focused on themselves then what you are doing.
Developing a positive mindset is one of the most powerful life strategies there is. Using powerful positive thinking techniques, visualizations and positive affirmations, it is possible to achieve whatever you want. Professionals and business people can use these techniques to develop personal power or gain a competitive edge.
Fear- Continuance of an effect after the cause is removed
Strength- permanence by virtue of the power to resist stress or force; "they advertised the durability of their products"
Purpose-the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose; "his determination showed in his every movement"; "he is a man of purpose"
Perseverance- the act of continuing an activity without interruption
Words
Courageous
Valiant
Heroic
Bold
Daring
Fearless
Plucky
Confront
Confidence
Trust
Reliance
Assurance
Conviction
Belief
Devotion
Loyalty
Faithfulness
Commitment
Dedication
Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe!
Take (physical, verbal, AND mental) ACTION:
1. Admit it’s no one’s fault but yours.
2. Understand you always have (had) a choice.
3. If you think it’s ok, it is…if you think it’s not ok, it’s not.
4. Invest time, don’t spend it.
5. Study the thoughts and writings of positive people.
6. Attend seminars and take courses.
7. Check your language gauge.
8. Avoid confrontational and negative words.
9. Say why you LIKE things and people, not why you don’t.
10. Help others without expectation or measuring.
11. Think about your winning and losing words.
12. Think about your mood, and your mood swings.
13. Are you the head of the complaint department, AND the chief complainer? Get a better job
14. Celebrate victory AND defeat.
15. Visit a children’s hospital or talk to a guy in a wheelchair.
15.5 Count your blessings every day.
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