essay on overcoming a fear

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Turning Fear into Confidence—A Personal Essay

October 14, 2020

Facing obstacles throughout your life is inevitable, and the obstacles you overcome can define who you are as a person. Not only will this build character and self-confidence, it will show others how strong you remained and inspire them to overcome their own challenges.

But overcoming obstacles is no simple task. Most obstacles are incredibly hard and testing. Yet, by overcoming them, you will come to understand why they are important. The significance of overcoming obstacles in life is to make you more grounded, courageous, and wise. For me, one of these life-altering obstacles emerged during my undergraduate years.

I had a serious fear of public speaking. There were times where I would struggle with presentations and in-class discussions. When these sessions would take place, my fear built up in a pressure cooker of discouragement and convulsive anguish. I felt humiliated before my teachers, partners, and most of all, my close friends. I soon realized, however, that the same people who seemed to be the source of my fear became my lifeline, their inspirational words filling my mind and heart with positive thoughts.

Seeing my struggles, my peers tried to build me up, to increase my confidence in myself and convince me that anything, including overcoming my fear of public speaking, could be accomplished with enough enthusiasm and belief in oneself.

The obstacles we face in life can distort how we see ourselves and cripple our ability to face our fears. By facing these conflicts head on, though, we can completely flip their effect on us, transforming them into experiences that strengthen our resilience and push the boundaries of what we think is possible to achieve.

Taking everything into account everything I’ve learned from this experience and many others like it that I’ve encountered in my life, it’s clear that obstacles are impossible to avoid, and when you do encounter them, you must view them as learning opportunities. You might just surprise yourself at how easily you overcome them.

This post was written by Duke TIP’s outgoing Marketing & Communications intern, Christina Gordon. Christina graduated from North Carolina Central University in the spring of 2020.

About Duke TIP

The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization that has served over three million academically talented students in grades 4–12 since it was founded in 1980. Collaborating with educators and parents, TIP helps gifted students assess the extent of their academic abilities with above-grade-level testing, recognizes them for their achievements, and provides them with a variety of enrichment benefits as well as accelerated face-to-face and online educational programs.

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Overcoming Fear Essay

Table of Contents

Introduction on Overcoming Fear Essay

Fear is an emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. It can manifest in various forms, such as anxiety, phobia, and panic attacks. Fear can hold us back from pursuing our dreams, taking risks, and experiencing new things. It is essential to learn how to overcome fear to achieve success and fulfillment in life. This essay will explore the different ways to overcome fear, including facing your fears, changing your mindset, seeking support, and using relaxation techniques, with the potential aid of essay writing help to further understand and articulate these methods effectively.

Facing Your Fears

The most effective way to overcome fear is to face it head-on. It may seem daunting, but confronting your fears can help you gain control over them. For instance, if you have a fear of public speaking, you could start by speaking in front of a small audience, such as friends or family members. Gradually increase the audience size until you feel comfortable speaking in front of a larger group. Similarly, if you have a fear of heights, you could try bungee jumping or skydiving to confront your fear.

Facing your fears can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding. It can help you build confidence, self-esteem, and resilience. Moreover, it can expand your comfort zone and open up new opportunities. For example, if you overcome your fear of public speaking, you may be able to advance in your career, deliver more effective presentations, and communicate more confidently with others.

Changing Your Mindset

Another way to overcome fear is to change your mindset. Fear is often the result of negative thinking patterns, such as catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, and mind-reading. These patterns can create a self-fulfilling prophecy, where you believe the worst-case scenario will happen, and you act accordingly, which reinforces your fear.

To change your mindset, you need to challenge your negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. For example, if you have a fear of failure, you could challenge the thought that “I will never succeed” by asking yourself, “What evidence do I have to support this thought?” You may realize that you have succeeded in the past and that failure is a natural part of the learning process.

Replacing negative thoughts with positive ones can help you feel more optimistic, hopeful, and confident. It can also help you develop a growth mindset, where you view failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. This mindset can help you overcome fear and achieve your goals.

Seeking Support

Overcoming fear can be challenging, and you may need support from others. Seeking support from friends, family members, or a therapist can help you cope with your fears and develop effective strategies to overcome them.

Talking to someone who understands your fears can provide a sense of validation and empathy. Moreover, they may offer practical advice, such as relaxation techniques or exposure therapy, that can help you overcome your fears. For example, if you have a fear of flying, a therapist may suggest exposure therapy, where you gradually expose yourself to flying-related stimuli until you feel more comfortable flying.

Using Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques can help you manage your fear and anxiety. These techniques can include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga. They can help you reduce physical tension and calm your mind, which can help you feel more relaxed and less fearful.

Deep breathing involves taking slow, deep breaths through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth. This technique can help you reduce your heart rate and blood pressure, which can help you feel more relaxed.

Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups in your body. This technique can help you release physical tension and reduce anxiety.

Meditation involves focusing your attention on your breath or a specific object or mantra. This technique can help you clear your mind and reduce stress and anxiety.

Yoga involvesstretching and holding poses while focusing on your breath. This technique can help you improve your flexibility, balance, and strength while reducing stress and anxiety.

Using relaxation techniques can help you manage your fear and anxiety in the moment, but it may not be enough to overcome your fear in the long term. However, combining relaxation techniques with other strategies, such as facing your fears, changing your mindset, and seeking support, can be more effective.

Examples Of Overcoming Fear

Many people have overcome their fears and achieved success in their personal and professional lives. For example, J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, overcame her fear of failure and rejection by persevering through multiple rejections from publishers before finding success. Similarly, Oprah Winfrey overcame her fear of public speaking by facing her fears and becoming one of the most successful and influential media personalities in the world.

Athletes also frequently overcome fear to achieve success. For instance, Simone Biles, one of the most decorated gymnasts in history, has spoken about her fear of the “twisties,” a condition where gymnasts lose their spatial awareness mid-air. Despite experiencing the twisties during the 2021 Olympics, Biles returned to competition and won a bronze medal on the balance beam.

Why Is Overcoming Fear Important In Life?

Overcoming fear is important in life for several reasons. Firstly, fear can hold us back from pursuing our goals and dreams. For example, if someone has a fear of public speaking, they may avoid giving presentations or speaking in front of groups, limiting their opportunities for career advancement or personal growth. Overcoming this fear can help them unlock their full potential and achieve their goals.

Secondly, fear can lead to anxiety, stress, and other negative emotions that can affect our mental and physical health. Overcoming fear can help us reduce these negative emotions and improve our overall well-being.

Thirdly, fear can prevent us from experiencing new things and taking risks. Overcoming fear can help us expand our comfort zones and try new things that can lead to personal growth and self-discovery.

Finally, overcoming fear can help us build resilience and self-confidence. By facing and overcoming our fears, we can develop a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem that can help us tackle other challenges in life with greater confidence.

In summary, overcoming fear is essential for personal growth, achieving our goals, and improving our mental and physical well-being. By facing our fears and developing effective strategies to overcome them, we can unlock our full potential and lead more fulfilling lives.

What Can We Learn From Overcoming Fear?

Overcoming fear can teach us many valuable lessons that can help us in various aspects of our lives. Here are some of the key lessons we can learn from overcoming fear:

Courage and resilience:  Overcoming fear requires courage and resilience. By facing our fears and persevering through the discomfort and uncertainty, we can develop a stronger sense of these qualities, which can help us tackle other challenges in life.

Self-awareness:  Overcoming fear requires us to be aware of our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Through this process, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, our triggers, and our coping mechanisms, which can help us manage future fears and challenges more effectively.

Growth mindset:  Overcoming fear requires a growth mindset, which is the belief that we can learn and grow from our experiences, even when they are uncomfortable or challenging. This mindset can help us approach future challenges with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and adapt.

Empathy:  Overcoming fear can also help us develop empathy for others who are facing their own fears and challenges. Through our own experiences, we can better understand and relate to others who are struggling, and offer support and encouragement.

Gratitude:  Overcoming fear can also teach us to appreciate the positive aspects of our lives and the opportunities we have to grow and learn. By focusing on the positive outcomes of our efforts, we can develop a sense of gratitude that can help us maintain a positive outlook and cope with future challenges.

In summary, overcoming fear can teach us valuable lessons about courage, resilience, self-awareness, growth mindset, empathy, and gratitude. By applying these lessons to other areas of our lives, we can become more resilient, adaptable, and empathetic individuals.

In conclusion, fear is a common emotion that can hold us back from pursuing our goals and experiencing new things. However, there are many ways to overcome fear, including facing your fears, changing your mindset, seeking support, and using relaxation techniques. Overcoming fear can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding, helping you build confidence, resilience, and self-esteem. With persistence and determination, anyone can overcome their fears and achieve success in their personal and professional lives.

List Of Few Topics On Overcoming Fear Essay

• The role of mindfulness in conquering fear
• How to overcome a fear of public speaking
• The benefits of facing your fears head-on
• The psychological origins of phobias and how to overcome them
• Overcoming the fear of failure
• The power of positive thinking in overcoming fear
• The role of therapy in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of heights
• The role of physical activity in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of flying
• The importance of support from loved ones in overcoming fear
• The role of visualization in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of the dark
• The role of self-affirmation in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of needles or injections
• The role of hypnotherapy in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of water
• The role of exposure therapy in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of snakes or other animals
• The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of clowns or other phobias
• The role of neurolinguistic programming in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of public transportation
• The role of meditation in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of speaking in front of large groups
• The role of affirmations in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of the unknown
• The role of goal-setting in overcoming fear
• How to overcome a fear of heights or bridges
• How to overcome a fear of the ocean or deep water

Cooper Robinson

Hi, I am Cooper Robinson. I am a full-time academic writer with expertise in essay writing. Having completed my Master's degree, I worked as an English professor. For six long years, I had been reading hundreds of essays with repetitive content, zero creativity, and full of copied facts. Listing Now, I am on a mission to make all those dull essays sparkle, so that students do not miss out on top grades. I'veI've written a couple of guest posts on essay writing for prominent academic writing sites. Apart from English essay writing, I love coffee and sushi. When I am not making essay warriors out of students, I am probably off to some fishing or biking adventure. 

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How Do You Overcome Your Fears?

Amanda Gorman describes how she conquered her fears to deliver her stunning poem at last year’s presidential inauguration. What do you do to deal with your doubts?

By Jeremy Engle

Did you watch Amanda Gorman read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Biden’s inauguration last January? If so, what was your reaction? What did her words and delivery make you think or feel?

Her performance was lauded as much for the beauty of her words as it was for the then-23-year old’s composure on the big stage. Would you be surprised to learn that Ms. Gorman was so filled with fear that she had almost declined her invitation to perform that day?

What kinds of activities fill you with dread? Have you ever been overwhelmed with fear and anxiety before a big performance, presentation or event? How did you respond?

In “ Why I Almost Didn’t Read My Poem at the Inauguration ,” Ms. Gorman describes how she was able to overcome her fears and deliver a powerful and memorable oration:

It’s told like this: Amanda Gorman performed at the inauguration and the rest is history. The truth is I almost declined to be the inaugural poet. Why? I was terrified. I was scared of failing my people, my poetry. But I was also terrified on a physical level. Covid was still raging, and my age group couldn’t get vaccinated yet. Just a few weeks before, domestic terrorists assaulted the U.S. Capitol, the very steps where I would recite. I didn’t know then that I’d become famous, but I did know at the inauguration I was going to become highly visible — which is a very dangerous thing to be in America, especially if you’re Black and outspoken and have no Secret Service. It didn’t help that I was getting DMs from friends telling me not-so-jokingly to buy a bulletproof vest. My mom had us crouch in our living room so that she could practice shielding my body from bullets. A loved one warned me to “be ready to die” if I went to the Capitol building, telling me, “It’s just not worth it.” I had insomnia and nightmares, barely ate or drank for days. I finally wrote to some close friends and family, telling them that I was most likely going to pull out of the ceremony. I got some texts praising the Lord. I got called pathologically insane. But I knew only I could answer the question for myself: Was this poem worth it? The night before I was to give the Inaugural Committee my final decision felt like the longest of my life. My neighborhood was eerily quiet in that early morning dark, though I strained my ears for noise to distract me from the choice that lay ahead. It felt like my little world stood still. And then it struck me: Maybe being brave enough doesn’t mean lessening my fear, but listening to it. I closed my eyes in bed and let myself utter all the leviathans that scared me, both monstrous and minuscule. What stood out most of all was the worry that I’d spend the rest of my life wondering what this poem could have achieved. There was only one way to find out. By the time the sun rose I knew one thing for sure: I was going to be the 2021 inaugural poet. I can’t say I was completely confident in my choice, but I was completely committed to it.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

When was a time when you were able to overcome your fears or doubts? What did you have to do, why did it fill you with anxiety and from where did you draw your strength to succeed?

What strategies have you used to deal with your worries or dread? Do you state your fears out loud or recite mantras, like Ms. Gorman? How effective have these approaches been? What advice would you give others based on your own experiences?

Have your fears ever kept you from doing something you wanted to do, something important? How did you feel turning down the opportunity? What might you do differently now that you have read the article?

What is your reaction to the essay? Are you surprised to learn that a successful poet was filled with terror before a big performance? Do the fears and self-doubts Ms. Gorman described in her essay resonate with your own experiences?

Ms. Gorman writes:

Yet fear can be love trying its best in the dark. So do not fear your fear. Own it. Free it. This isn’t a liberation that I or anyone can give you — it’s a power you must look for, learn, love, lead and locate for yourself.

What do you think of this advice? Do you agree you should not fear your fear, but own it?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

Fear: Definition, Effects, and Overcoming Essay

Effects of fear, how to overcome fear.

Webster’s dictionary defines fear as “an unpleasant, sometimes strong emotion caused by an anticipation or awareness of danger” or “anxious concern” Fear is a feeling that causes agitation and anxiety mostly caused by presence or imminence of danger. It is a state or condition marked by feeling of agitation or anxiety. It can also be described as a feeling of disquiet. Fear is an abstract concept and may have different meanings. Holder (2007) adds that fear is more pervasive when there is lack of faith that we have greater significance in the universe than what we own or how others perceive us.

Fear is manifested in many ways in human beings. It may manifest as showing signs of withdrawing or by cowering. But the most profound manifestation of fear is anger and hatred. People acts out their insecurity as anger which shows that they are the most fearful people.

Effects of fear have been documented in many studies. Fear has been documented to case mind paralyses, heart attacks and closure of fallopian tube due to fear of pain during child birth (Jim Rohn, 2004), describes fear, indifference, indecision, doubt, worry and timidness as the five greatest enemies within us which can destroy our lives completely. Fear may manifest itself in physical short term effects or affect your whole life. It will affect both he physiology of the body and the brain. Fear generates stress which manifests itself physically in many signs physically and emotionally. It causes judgmental errors and affects our reasoning that most of time when we are in a fearful situation; we tend to take the wrong action.

According to Sidney B., (1988), fear is a great paralyzer. It will keep you from making positive changes in your life and thus retard your recovery from depression. He continues to argue that fear persuades you to set easier goals and do less than your capability. It will also cause internal defense system fooling you that you have good reasons not to change. Fear of failure reduces the available alternatives you can pursue because you cannot stand by the outcome of what you do. You always feel that you cannot succeed in anything you try. It will keep you away from seeking help because you don’t want others to see you as a failure. Fear has been identified by psychologist as what causes people to give up when they are one step short to their goal. It will keep you stuck or make you develop unhealthy habits and behavior problems. Most of all fear keeps many people from taking risks.

Rim Rohn, (2004), argues that we are not born with courage, neither are we born with fear. He argues that some of our fears are brought on by our own experiences by what someone has told us or what we read in papers and books. Sri Swami Sivananda, (2007), describes fear as an illusion that cannot live. He suggests that to overcome fear we should always feel the presence of a Supreme Being watching us, by meditating and developing positive thoughts all the time. We should devote ourselves to eradicating fear. Since we have seen that fear is developed within our minds, it can also be eradicated within our mind and hence it is just a matter of reconditioning our minds that will help us overcome fear. It is also suggesting that we should share with others our fears. In this way they will help us find solutions to the cause of fears. President Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear but the fear itself” hence fearing fear starts and ends with us.

Holder P. (2007): FEAR… YOUR WORST ENEMY . Web.

Rohn, J., (2004). Build courage to face the enemies within. Web.

Sidney S., (1998). Getting Unstuck: Breaking through Your Barriers to Change . Web.

Sri Sivanand, S. (2007). The Divine Life Society: How to overcome fear. Web.

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Essay on Fear in 600 Words: Steps to Overcome Fear

• Updated on  
• Mar 22, 2024

Essay on fear: Fear is a feeling of apprehension, anxiety, or dread in response to a perceived threat or danger. We all fear something. Fear can be caused by any situation, stimuli, individual, or past memory. Fear activates our fight-or-flight response, a surge of hormones like adrenaline that prepares us to face danger head-on or escape a risky situation. 

Overcoming fear requires courage, determination, and willpower. A person who has hydrophobia can overcome his/her fear through exposure therapy under an expert, cognitive behavioral therapy, and efforts. Fearing something for a long time can lead to persistent anxiety and stress, causing symptoms like racing thoughts, difficulty sleeping, muscle tension, and fatigue.

This Blog Includes:

Why do we fear, what are some popular fears/ phobias, steps to overcome fear, 10 motivational quotes to overcome fear.

Also Read: Essay on Chandrayaan 3

There are several causes of fear. Humans and animals fear a specific stimulus associated with their unpleasant memories. Our response to fear varies. 

Survival instinct can lead to fear. Individuals who are more cautious and alert to potential dangers are more likely to survive and pass on their genes. Fear drives us to react quickly to threats. This reaction is mostly of fighting or fleeing, increasing our chances of survival. 

Personal experiences or learned behavior can be a cause of fear. A person with a negative experience with a particular situation or object may develop fear or phobia associated with it. This learned fear helps us avoid potential harm in the future.

Our lives are greatly influenced by our cultural and social values. Societal norms, religious beliefs, and cultural traditions often influence what we perceive as threatening or dangerous. 

The list of fears or phobias is endless. Some of the popular fears/ phobias are:

• Fear or Darkness – Achluophobia
• Fear of Heights – Acrophobia
• Fear of Flying – Aerophobia
• Fear of Failure – Atychiphobia
• Fear of Being Alone – Autophobia
• Fear of Bacteria – Bacteriophobia
• Fear of Gravity – Barophobia
• Fear of Books – Bibliophobia
• Fear of Snow – Chionophobia
• Fear of Dogs – Cynophobia

Identifying your fears, their causes, and their consequences is very important as it can help you overcome them and become successful in life. A person who fears something finds it difficult to deal with everyday situations. Imagine you have Acrophobia or fear of heights and your office is located on the 40th floor of a building. Will you be able to concentrate on your work? Don’t need to panic, as we will provide you with some easy steps to overcome fear.

• Identify Your Fear

Start by identifying your fear, its causes, and what triggers it. What is your fear? Heights? Water? Insects? Whatever it is, talk to yourself about it and understand how you react when you face your fear.

• Challenge Your Thoughts

Our thoughts play an important role in fueling fear. Often, our fearful thoughts are exaggerated or irrational. Challenge these thoughts by asking yourself: How realistic is this fear? What’s the evidence to support this thought? 

• Relaxation Techniques

Fight or flight is the immediate response when we face our fear. This is a natural response. Simple techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation can help calm your body and mind, making it easier to think clearly and rationally.

• Graduation Exposure

Pushing yourself in a controlled and safe way can be a great way to overcome your fear. A person who fears heights can overcome his fear by watching videos of high places. Then progress to visiting a low balcony, and eventually working your way up to higher heights.

• Positive Visualization

How great will you feel when you realize you have successfully overcome your fear? Visualizing can help you take steps that can lead to positive outcomes. This can help build confidence and reduce anxiety.

• Reach Out for Support

Talking to a close friend, family member, or therapist about your fear can be a great way. Talking it out can provide valuable support and encouragement.

• Reward Yourself

As we make progress in overcoming our fears, it is very important to reward ourselves by staying positive and moving forward.

Here are 10 motivational quotes that can help you overcome your fears.

‘The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’ – Nelson Mandela

‘You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.’ – Eleanor Roosevelt

‘Do the thing you fear and keep on doing it… Fear is a bully. A bully thrives on your silence. The more you cower, the more it swells. But when you stand up to it, when you seize it by the throat and say, ‘That’s enough,’ it wilts. It shrinks.’ – Rosie Greer

‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’ – Franklin D. Roosevelt

‘Fear is a natural reaction to a perceived threat. Courage is the movement forward despite that fear.’ – Pauline Rohn

‘Fall seven times and stand up eight.’ – Japanese Proverb

‘I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’ – Michael Jordan

‘There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the life you are capable of living.’ – Nelson Mandela

‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frighten us.’ – Marianne Williamson

‘Do not let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.’ – Babe Ruth

Ans: Fear is a feeling of apprehension, anxiety, or dread in response to a perceived threat or danger. Identifying your fears, their causes, and their consequences is very important as it can help you overcome them and become successful in life. A person who fears something finds it difficult to deal with everyday situations. Imagine you have Acrophobia or fear of heights and your office is located on the 40th floor of a building. Will you be able to concentrate on your work?

Ans: Survival instinct can lead to fear. Individuals who are more cautious and alert to potential dangers are more likely to survive and pass on their genes. Fear drives us to react quickly to threats. This reaction is mostly of fighting or fleeing, increasing our chances of survival.  Personal experiences or learned behavior can be a cause of fear. A person with a negative experience with a particular situation or object may develop fear or phobia associated with it. This learned fear helps us avoid potential harm in the future.

Ans: ‘The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’ ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’ ‘Fear is a natural reaction to a perceived threat. Courage is the movement forward despite that fear.’ ‘Fall seven times and stand up eight.’

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With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Essay on Fear [ Concept, Types, Causes & Overcoming Fear ]

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Fear is natural emotion in human being that is typically the reaction of typical feelings of insecurity, danger, loneliness etc. Fear is sometimes unreasonable and threatening. The following essay explores the fear, its concept in detail, types and causes of fear and ways how to overcome fear in Life. This essay is very helpful for students and children.

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Essay on Fear | Meaning, Types & Causes of Fear | Ways how to Overcome Fear in Life

Fear is defined as an emotion induced by a perceived threat which causes an individual to experience anxiety and physiological changes such as increased heart rate.

Fear is a feeling that is difficult to describe. It can be described as a feeling of being scared or anxious about something that might happen. Fear can also be described as a sensation of dread or terror.

Experiencing Fear:

Fear can be experienced in different ways depending on the person. Some people feel fear as an adrenaline rush, while others may feel fear as a sense of dread.

>>>> Read Also : ” Essay On Anger Management & its Importance”

Types of Fear:

There are many different types of fear that people can experience. Some of the most common include:

1) Fear of the Unknown: This is when someone is afraid of something that they do not know anything about. 2) Fear of Failure : This is when someone is afraid of not succeeding or being unsuccessful. 3) Fear of Pain: This is when someone is afraid of experiencing physical or emotional pain. 4) Fear of death: This is when someone is afraid of dying or the idea of death. 5) Fear of public Speaking: This is when someone is afraid of speaking in front of a group of people.

Causes of Fear:

There are many different things that can cause someone to feel fear. Some of the most common causes include:

1) Threats to safety: This can include things like natural disasters, violence, and accidents. 2) Threats to Security: This can include things like financial insecurity, being in a dangerous place, or being around someone who is threatening. 3) Threats to dignity: This can include things like public embarrassment, ridicule, or rejection. 4) Threats to status: This can include things like losing social status, power, or prestige.

The effects of fear can be both physical and psychological. Fear can cause an increase in heart rate, sweating, and trembling. Fear can also cause people to feel anxious and scared.

How to Overcome Fear:

There are many different ways that people can overcome their fears. Some of the most common include:

1) Facing your fears: This involves confronting the things that you are afraid of. This can help you to understand your fears and learn how to deal with them. 2) Exposing yourself to fear: This involves exposing yourself to the things that scare you. This can help you to become more comfortable with them and learn how to deal with them. 3) Practicing relaxation techniques: This involves learning how to relax your body and mind. This can help you to cope better with fear and anxiety. 4) Seeking professional help: If you are struggling to overcome your fears, it may be helpful to seek professional help. A therapist can help you to understand and deal with your fears.

>>>> Read Also:   ”  Essay on Failures are the Pillars of Success “

Fear is a natural emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their life. There are many different causes of fear, and it can be experienced in different ways. The effects of fear can be both physical and psychological. There are many different ways to overcome fear, and seeking professional help may be the best option for some people.

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Conquering Fear

Four ways to make fear work for us..

Posted December 26, 2020

• What Is Fear?
• Find a therapist to combat fear and anxiety

Conquer is a strong word. It describes overcoming an obstacle, an enemy. I find that fear is a formidable enemy, so conquering is the right way to look at it.

In my last blog post I wrote about fear that is manufactured to keep us scared, angry, and divided. Such false fear is different from the fear we face in life that warns us against danger or keeps us from being reckless and making bad decisions. The task I previously proposed is to differentiate between manufactured fear and helpful fear by embracing fear that helps us stay safe and diminishing fear that blocks us from thinking clearly and caring about others. In this post, I expand on the ways that we can overcome fear.

Fear can be productive — strive to use it that way

Fear serves the valuable purpose of helping us survive by making us alert to dangerous situations. This is positive fear. Honor it, use it to make decisions that promote life. Sometimes productive fear is difficult to recognize. For example, there is fear that serves as motivation to take on a challenge and there is fear that keeps us from trying new things and reinforces a sense of failure. 1 This is a great distinction. Fear that is challenging is positive; fear that is paralyzing is negative. That means we need to embrace challenges, even when we feel nervous, anxious , or afraid. How many successful actors and musicians admit that they have moments of fear before they perform, yet you would not know it by the strength of their performance? This is a productive use of fear. On the other hand, fear that keeps us from trying new things reinforces a sense of failure. This fear is not productive.

Fear that is used to frighten us

There is another type of unproductive fear, the fear that is used by others to scare us. Warnings that arouse fear in exaggerated or dramatic ways can be counter-productive. For example, public service announcements that elicit fear to scare you are actually less persuasive than images shown to elicit empathy. 2 An example of this is the difference between showing graphic pictures of people on drugs meant to convince you that using drugs is a bad choice compared to showing pictures of people needing assistance and working to overcome their addictions. In fact, the negative images can increase our anger with those at-risk of the undesired behavior. Using fear to create scare tactics can actually be counter-productive.

Four ways we can make fear useful

So how do we make fear work for us? Fear is designed to get our attention so that we react. That initial rush of fear is helpful because it could save our lives. However, prolonged fear tends to be draining and is not helpful. The task is to face our fears and interpret them in ways that help us to develop and grow stronger. We can do that when we:

• Make fear productive . We are hard-wired to physically feel fear. That immediate flood of fear can propel us to take action to make us safe. The challenge is to interpret those fearful feelings in ways that are useful. Honor the power of fear to keep us away from danger and protect us from reckless behavior.
• Maximize productive fear . Recognize fear that challenges us to master difficult tasks. It can help us to set goals for achievement. This is positive fear and can propel us to do things we thought we could not do. Productive fear can lead us to accomplishments, and mastering those challenges builds our self-esteem .
• Recognize manufactured fear , the kind of fear that is designed to manipulate us. Fear is a powerful trigger and can be purposely used to push us emotionally. This is negative fear that promotes someone else’s agenda, not ours.
• Learn about things we fear . Knowledge is power and helps us gain understanding to confront things that are frightening because they are foreign to us. Instead of being frightened and paralyzed, we gain expertise and control.

The best way to conquer fear is to recognize when fear is useful and when it is not. Understanding why we are afraid can give us power to act on that knowledge. Let fear motivate us to be safe and take challenges rather than stop us from moving forward.

1. Putwain, D.W., Symes, W. & Remedios, R. (2016). The impact of fear appeals on subjective-task value and academic self-efficacy: The role of appraisal. Learning and Individual Differences , 51, pp. 307-313.

2. Peng, L., Shen, L., Vanderbilt, R.R., Kim, Y. & Foley, K.A. (2020). The impact of fear versus state empathy on persuasion and social stigma. Media Psychology , 23, 1, pp. 1-24.

Elizabeth A. Segal, Ph.D. , is a professor in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Fear — My Biggest Fear and How I Overcame It

My Biggest Fear and How I Overcame It

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How to Write the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

• What is the Overcoming Challenges Essay?
• Real Overcoming Challenges Essay Prompts
• How to Choose a Topic
• Writing Tips

Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

• Where to Get Your Essay Edited

While any college essay can be intimidating, the Overcoming Challenges prompt often worries students the most. Those students who’ve been lucky enough not to experience trauma tend to assume they have nothing worth saying. On the other hand, students who’ve overcome larger obstacles may be hesitant to talk about them.

Regardless of your particular circumstances, there are steps you can take to make the essay writing process simpler. Here are our top tips for writing the overcoming challenges essay successfully.

What is the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay?

The overcoming challenges prompt shows up frequently in both main application essays (like the Common App) and supplemental essays. Because supplemental essays allow students to provide schools with additional information, applicants should be sure that the subject matter they choose to write about differs from what’s in their main essay.

Students often assume the overcoming challenges essay requires them to detail past traumas. While you can certainly write about an experience that’s had a profound effect on your life, it’s important to remember that colleges aren’t evaluating students based on the seriousness of the obstacle they overcame.

On the contrary, the goal of this essay is to show admissions officers that you have the intelligence and fortitude to handle any challenges that come your way. After all, college serves as an introduction to adult life, and schools want to know that the students they admit are up to the task. 

Real “Overcoming Challenges” Essay Prompts

To help you understand what the “Overcoming Challenges” essay looks like, here are a couple sample prompts.

Currently, the Common Application asks students to answer the following prompt in 650 words or less:

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

For the past several years, MIT has prompted students to write 200 to 250 words on the following:

“Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?”

In both cases, the prompts explicitly ask for your response to the challenge. The event itself isn’t as important as how it pushed you to grow.

How to Choose a Topic for an Essay on Overcoming Challenges

When it comes to finding the best topic for your overcoming challenges essays, there’s no right answer. The word “challenge” is ambiguous and could be used to reference a wide range of situations from prevailing over a bully to getting over your lifelong stage fright to appear in a school musical. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when selecting an essay subject.

1. Avoid trivial or common topics

While there aren’t many hard-and-fast rules for choosing an essay topic, students should avoid overdone topics.

These include:

• Working hard in a challenging class
• Overcoming a sports injury
• Moving schools or immigrating to the US
• Tragedy (divorce, death, abuse)

Admissions officers have read numerous essays on the subject, so it’s harder for you to stand out (see our full list of cliché college essay topics to avoid ). If events like these were truly formative to you, you can still choose to write about them, but you’ll need to be as personal as possible. 

It’s also ideal if you have a less traditional storyline for a cliché topic; for example, if your sports injury led you to discover a new passion, that would be a more unique story than detailing how you overcame your injury and got back in the game.

Similarly, students may not want to write about an obstacle that admissions committees could perceive as low stakes, such as getting a B on a test, or getting into a small fight with a friend. The goal of this essay is to illustrate how you respond to adversity, so the topic you pick should’ve been at least impactful on your personal growth.

2. Pick challenges that demonstrate qualities you want to highlight

Students often mistakenly assume they need to have experienced exceptional circumstances like poverty, an abusive parent, or cancer to write a good essay. The truth is that the best topics will allow you to highlight specific personal qualities and share more about who you are. The essay should be less about the challenge itself, and more about how you responded to it.

Ask yourself what personality traits you want to emphasize, and see what’s missing in your application. Maybe you want to highlight your adaptability, for example, but that isn’t clearly expressed in your application. In this case, you might write about a challenge that put your adaptability to the test, or shaped you to become more adaptable.

Here are some examples of good topics we’ve seen over the years:

• Not having a coach for a sports team and becoming one yourself
• Helping a parent through a serious health issue
• Trying to get the school track dedicated to a coach
• Having to switch your Model UN position last-minute

Tips for Writing an Essay About Overcoming Challenges

Once you’ve selected a topic for your essays, it’s time to sit down and write. For best results, make sure your essay focuses on your efforts to tackle an obstacle rather than the problem itself. Additionally, you could avoid essay writing pitfalls by doing the following:

1. Choose an original essay structure

If you want your overcoming challenges essay to attract attention, aim to break away from more traditional structures. Most of these essays start by describing an unsuccessful attempt at a goal and then explain the steps the writer took to master the challenge. 

You can stand out by choosing a challenge you’re still working on overcoming, or focus on a mental or emotional challenge that spans multiple activities or events. For example, you might discuss your fear of public speaking and how that impacted your ability to coach your brother’s Little League team and run for Student Council. 

You can also choose a challenge that can be narrated in the moment, such as being put on the spot to teach a yoga class. These challenges can make particularly engaging essays, as you get to experience the writer’s thoughts and emotions as they unfold.

Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to have succeeded in your goal for this essay. Maybe you ran for an election and lost, or maybe you proposed a measure to the school board that wasn’t passed. It’s still possible to write a strong essay about topics like these as long as you focus on your personal growth. In fact, these may make for even stronger essays since they are more unconventional topics.

2. Focus on the internal

When writing about past experiences, you may be tempted to spend too much time describing specific people and events. With an Overcoming Challenges essay though, the goal is to focus on your thoughts and feelings.

For example, rather than detail all the steps you took to become a better public speaker, use the majority of your essay to describe your mental state as you embarked on the journey to achieving your goals. Were you excited, scared, anxious, or hopeful? Don’t be afraid to let the reader in on your innermost emotions and thoughts during this process.

3. Share what you learned 

An Overcoming Challenges essay should leave the reader with a clear understanding of what you learned on your journey, be it physical, mental, or emotional. There’s no need to explicitly say “this experience taught me X,” but your essay should at least implicitly share any lessons you learned. This can be done through your actions and in-the-moment reflections. Remember that the goal is to show admissions committees why your experiences make you a great candidate for admission. 

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the g arb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This essay is an excellent example because the writer turns an everyday challenge—starting a fire—into an exploration of her identity. The writer was once “a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes,” but has since traded her love of the outdoors for a love of music, writing, and reading. 

The story begins in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. One of the essay’s biggest strengths is its use of imagery. We can easily visualize the writer’s childhood and the present day. For instance, she states that she “rubbed and rubbed [the twigs] until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers.”

The writing has an extremely literary quality, particularly with its wordplay. The writer reappropriates words and meanings, and even appeals to the senses: “My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.” She later uses a parallelism to cleverly juxtapose her changed interests: “instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano.”

One of the essay’s main areas of improvement is its overemphasis on the “story” and lack of emphasis on the reflection. The second to last paragraph about changing perspective is crucial to the essay, as it ties the anecdote to larger lessons in the writer’s life. She states that she hasn’t changed, but has only shifted perspective. Yet, we don’t get a good sense of where this realization comes from and how it impacts her life going forward. 

The end of the essay offers a satisfying return to the fire imagery, and highlights the writer’s passion—the one thing that has remained constant in her life.

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

While the writer didn’t succeed in getting the track dedicated to Coach Stark, their essay is certainly successful in showing their willingness to push themselves and take initiative.

The essay opens with a quote from Coach Stark that later comes full circle at the end of the essay. We learn about Stark’s impact and the motivation for trying to get the track dedicated to him.

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The essay goes on to explain how the writer overcame their apprehension of public speaking, and likens the process of submitting an appeal to the school board to running a race. This metaphor makes the writing more engaging and allows us to feel the student’s emotions.

While the student didn’t ultimately succeed in getting the track dedicated, we learn about their resilience and initiative: I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Overall, this essay is well-done. It demonstrates growth despite failing to meet a goal, which is a unique essay structure. The running metaphor and full-circle intro/ending also elevate the writing in this essay.

Where to Get Your Overcoming Challenges Essay Edited

The Overcoming Challenges essay is one of the trickier supplemental prompts, so it’s important to get feedback on your drafts. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Overcome Your Fear of Flying, According to People Who Have Done It

By Olivia Morelli

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Phobias are a weird thing. They can lie dormant in your psyche, hidden until you come face to face with that singular thing that triggers a visceral reaction. Or they can be omnipresent, severely impacting your daily life if your phobia relates to something commonplace. A phobia is an “ intense, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actualy danger ” that can relate to anything from an object, an animal or a place to a situation or a feeling.

When it comes to traveling, however, a fear of flying can be deeply debilitating. “For me, flying was a tortuous experience. I’d spend the weeks before terrified of what was to come, and for the entire flight, I’d be gripping onto my seat or my partner, praying to whoever was listening and making promises to myself if I made it through,” Megan Wilkes, Condé Nast Traveller ’s art production manager, tells us. “I was quite literally convinced I was going to die, and this happened every single time I flew anywhere. “

Below, we take a look at exactly what aerophobia is and which are the best tried-and-tested ways to overcome a fear of flying.

What is a fear of flying?

“Fear of flying is an irrational fear that the plane is a dangerous environment that needs to be avoided,” explains chartered psychologist  Dr. Mark Rackley . “The person with this phobia generalizes that all planes are dangerous, and so creates an association in their brain between flying and a threat to life.”

“The brain then creates a relationship between flying, planes, distorted thinking around what could happen, worry and anxiety symptoms borne out of fear, and then the behavioral piece, which is avoiding flying at all costs.”

What are the symptoms of aerophobia?

“This phobia is serious, as the person has made an association between flying and risk of death,” Rackley says. “The symptoms are excessive worry, anxiety and panic when it comes to flying. Panic attacks, hyper-vigilance and extreme emotional distress are symptoms, too. The brain is hardwired to help us avoid death and threat, so will react with avoidance when flying becomes a phobia.”

“I become very fearful when I board a plane because my anxiety makes me feel that I won’t see my family and friends again if the plane crashes,” says Amber Port , Condé Nast Traveller ’s audience development manager. “I can become incredibly worried beforehand, which makes the entire flying experience less than ideal.”

Why is fear of flying such a common phobia?

According to  Cleveland Clinic , aerophobia affects around 25 million people in the US. Part of the reason for this phobia being so common is the rapid growth of the aviation industry. For the Baby Boomer generation, flying was a scary concept, but they didn’t have to experience it very often. Today, many people travel by plane multiple times per year, resulting in more people having to frequently face a fear of flying.

“We are flying and traveling more than ever now,” Mackley tells us. “We also have more information about flying, planes, crashes and technology. People with a fear of flying tend to struggle with worry and anxiety anyway, in some form, in day-to-day life. Therefore, they do not like uncertainty and not being in control of outcomes. Flying requires that they relinquish control over to the pilot and agree to be passive. This is deemed too risky and so best avoided.”

“It actually helped me to find out that I wasn’t alone with my phobia,” Megan admits. “I did my own research, comparing all sorts of stats for flying against other means of everyday transport, and having open conversations about it with the people around me instead of being embarrassed and feeling alone. It was so interesting to find out that almost everyone I spoke to, while they may not have had a phobia, still had their own little habits, home comforts and herbal remedies.”

Can you cure a fear of flying?

Luckily, there are several ways those suffering can manage a fear of flying. Below, we talk to people with aerophobia about the methods that help them cope when flying.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

“CBT is the best way to treat a fear of flying. With a fear of flying, the person uses their emotional brain to inform them. When fear is produced, it turns our rational thoughts into fear-based thoughts, which direct our decisions,” Rackley explains. “With CBT, we move back from fear-based thoughts to rational thoughts—so, instead of reacting to what the feeling is telling is, we focus on what the evidence tells us. The person creates a different association in their brain between flying and how they think and feel. Typically, CBT might also include some exposure work, too, to get them back on the plane and flying again.”

Olivia Morelli

Caitlin Morton

Stacey Lastoe

Using CBT helped Megan overcome her fear of flying. “I originally started Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help with a fear of public speaking,” Megan tells us. “Sessions focus on the origin of the fear—the root of my experiences and figuring out where the fear comes from. Through this, my anxieties around other things were eked out and we ended up discussing my fear of flying.”

“I learned that information seems to be key in CBT; the more you know about and understand the fear, the less power it has. I don’t believe there is a cure-all for any kind of fear, but I think taking steps towards managing and understanding it better can help those feeling powerless regain some control.”

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a proven form of therapy to address a fear of flying. “I tried hypnotherapy years ago and it definitely helped with my fear of flying and claustrophobia,” Gerry Bryson, who has suffered from aerophobia her whole life, tells us. “I was skeptical at first—the expert I went to trained with hypnotherapist Paul McKenna, and I expected it to be someone swinging a pocket watch in front of my face—but it was nothing like that.”

“The hypnotherapist spoke to me about what my deepest fears were, and we talked through lots of different scenarios and practiced touching pressure points when I felt particularly nervous,” she explains. “After several sessions, I took my first flight and felt so much better, and I still use the methods I learned when I fly now.”

There are several different ways and techniques of using hypnotherapy to help with aerophobia. “Hypnotherapy can help because the brain can’t tell the difference between imagination and reality,” explains Penny Ling, member of the  Hypnotherapy Directory . “When working with a client who suffers from a fear of flying, it is key to get the person in a relaxed state and to scramble any negative experiences. Then, you can get them to rehearse in their minds the best flight they could want and repeat it until the thought of flying isn’t as intense.”

“There is also the ‘rewind technique,’ which changes the fearful into the funny,” she continues. “By using our sense of humor, we can change the way we feel. One client I saw used a visualization of  Morecambe and Wise  as air hostesses to make her roar with laughter. When she arrived back from holiday, she reported back that every time she saw one of the flight attendants she burst out laughing.”

Creating rituals is another tried-and-tested method of reducing stress or anxiety when flying. It’s a form of control – allowing passengers to feel as though they are in a familiar place or situation, and therefore reducing the fear associated with traveling by plane.

“I listen to the same song whenever I take off. It helps me keep calm,” Amber tells us. “There’s something about having a ritual that makes me feel like I’m more in control. I also like to watch the flight attendants as they move around the cabin—they are so at ease, just getting on with their job, so clearly unfazed by the fact that we are flying. It puts my mind to rest knowing how comfortable they feel.”

“Creating rituals can be a helpful strategy for managing and potentially overcoming a phobia like aerophobia. Rituals can provide a sense of control, comfort, and predictability in situations that provoke anxiety,” says  Hypnotherapy Directory member Soraya Mansour .

“Visualization and relaxation techniques like practicing deep breathing; pre-flight preparation with tasks you find comforting and grounding; education and exposure about the mechanics of flying to demystify the experience, or affirmations to reinforce positive beliefs about flying and your ability to cope with any anxiety that arises are all recommended rituals,” she advises.

“By incorporating these rituals and tips into your preparation for flying, you can empower yourself to manage anxiety more effectively and gradually overcome your fear of flying. Remember to be patient and compassionate with yourself throughout the process, and celebrate your progress, no matter how small.”

For some people, having conversations with those who help make sure flights are as safe and secure as possible can help reduce anxieties around flying. Several airlines offer courses that allow nervous flyers to understand the mechanics of aviation and what really happens when a plane takes off. Chantel Tattoli wrote about her experience with Air France's two-part in-person atelier in December, which you can read about here .

The  British Airways Flying with Confidence Course  is a one-day course run by pilots and cabin crew, with a 98 percent success rate in helping nervous flyers overcome their fears. The course is split into three sections, including a presentation by BA pilots, psychologist talks, and a short flight with a running commentary from a pilot explaining exactly what is happening at each stage of the journey.

easyJet offer a similar  Fearless Flyer  course, “suitable for anyone who is a nervous flyer, whether they experience slight anxiety or whether they have never flown before and with a success rate of more than 95%” for phobia flyers, says Captain Chris Foster, Fearless Flyer Lead Pilot at easyJet. The session includes a virtual ground course with top phobia expert Lawrence Leyton and a senior easyJet captain to run through the unfamiliar sounds and sensations on aircrafts, and teach different techniques to cope with nervousness, plus a one-hour long flight with a live commentary.

A version of this story originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller .

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Essay on Overcoming Fear Of Public Speaking

Students are often asked to write an essay on Overcoming Fear Of Public Speaking in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Overcoming Fear Of Public Speaking

Understanding fear.

Many people get scared when they have to speak in front of others. This fear can make your heart beat fast and your palms sweat. It’s normal to feel this way, but it’s important to remember that everyone can learn to be less afraid.

Practice Makes Perfect

One of the best ways to get over this fear is to practice a lot. You can start by talking in front of a mirror, then with family, and slowly move to bigger groups. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Know Your Stuff

If you know what you’re talking about well, you’ll feel more confident. Take time to learn about your topic. When you understand it, you won’t be as worried about making a mistake.

Think Positive

Try to think good thoughts about speaking. Imagine people enjoying your talk and learning something new. Positive thinking can make a big difference in how you feel.

Breathe and Relax

Before you start speaking, take deep breaths to calm down. Stand up straight and smile. This will make you feel stronger and ready to share your ideas with the audience.

250 Words Essay on Overcoming Fear Of Public Speaking

When we talk about being scared of speaking in front of people, it’s normal. Many people get nervous when they have to talk to a group. This fear can come from not wanting to make a mistake or worrying about what others will think.

Starting Small

One way to beat this fear is to start with small steps. Try talking in front of friends or family first. It’s like learning to swim by first staying in the shallow part of the pool. As you get more comfortable, you can move to deeper water, or in this case, bigger groups.

Preparation Is Key

Being ready can help a lot. Know what you want to say. Practice it many times. When you know your topic well, you feel more confident. It’s like having a map when you go on a trip. If you know the way, you’re less likely to get lost.

Imagine Success

Think about doing well. Picture the audience listening and smiling. It’s like dreaming about scoring a goal in soccer. When you think about good things happening, it can make them more likely to happen.

Just Breathe

Before you speak, take deep breaths. This helps calm your body. It’s like taking a break when you’re running. Breathing gives you a moment to relax and get ready.

Keep Practicing

The more you speak in public, the easier it gets. It’s like riding a bike. At first, you might fall, but soon you can ride without thinking about it. Keep trying, and one day you might even enjoy speaking to a crowd!

500 Words Essay on Overcoming Fear Of Public Speaking

Understanding fear of public speaking.

Many people get nervous when they have to talk in front of a group. This fear is very common, and it’s called the fear of public speaking. When we stand up to speak to an audience, we might worry that we will forget what to say, not make sense, or that people will not like our talk. This fear can make our heart beat fast, our hands shake, and our voice sound shaky.

One way to get better at public speaking is to start with small steps. You could begin by talking in front of a mirror, then move on to speaking in front of a few friends or family members. As you get more comfortable, you can speak to bigger groups. This is like learning to swim by first getting used to water in a small pool before jumping into a big one.

Preparing Well

Being ready can help you feel less scared. If you know your topic well, you will feel more confident. Spend time writing down what you want to say and practice it many times. You can also learn about your audience, so you can talk about things they like or understand. Knowing your stuff makes you ready to answer questions, too.

Using Tools and Techniques

There are tools and tricks that can make public speaking easier. For example, you can use pictures or slides to show your ideas. This can help the audience understand better and give you things to talk about. Breathing exercises can also calm you down before you start speaking. Taking deep breaths fills your body with oxygen and helps your brain work better.

Learning from Others

Watching other people who are good at public speaking can teach you a lot. You can see how they stand, how they use their hands, and how they talk to the audience. There are videos and talks online that you can watch. You can also join a club at school where you can practice speaking and get tips from others.

Turning Fear into Excitement

The feelings of fear and excitement are very similar. Both can make your heart race and your energy go up. You can try to think of your fear as excitement. Tell yourself that you are excited to share your ideas, not scared. This can change how you feel and make speaking in front of others more fun.

Getting Feedback and Improving

After you speak in public, ask for feedback from people you trust. They can tell you what you did well and what you can do better next time. Remember that making mistakes is okay. Each time you speak, you learn and get better.

Overcoming the fear of public speaking takes time and practice. By starting small, getting ready, using helpful tools, learning from others, turning fear into excitement, and getting feedback, you can become more comfortable speaking in front of others. Remember, even the best speakers were once beginners, too. With patience and practice, you can beat the fear and maybe even start to enjoy public speaking!

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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