The reason for determining the source of your anxiety isn’t to give you an excuse to keep living in fear . It’s to help you assert power over those fears so that they no longer control you. Once you identify the source, you can change your story – and change your mindset. The first step is recognizing that you have a choice. You can blame outside forces for your emotions and continue to feel out of control. Or you can take charge of your life and learn how to stop living in fear . 3. Stop the excuses There is another type of fear that occurs when the acute fear response becomes hyper-sensitive. It’s called chronic fear or indirect fear, and it occurs when we are continually exposed to low-level yet stressful events. We might watch a lot of news about war, political divisions or the latest disease discoveries, causing us to irrationally anticipate negative events. Unlike acute fear, chronic fear can lower our natural life-saving response and cause us to believe we need to be “saved” by an outside force. Why am I living in fear? Stop missing your life. Put your phone down. Step away from the computer. Take up a new sport or game . Meet people in the here and now. Start living instead of worrying. 10. Know that failure is inevitable

Brain structure. A structure in the brain called the amygdala (uh-MIG-duh-luh) may play a role in controlling the fear response. People who have an overactive amygdala may have a heightened fear response, causing increased anxiety in social situations. Situational fears, such as a fear of flying ( aerophobia), a fear of public speaking (glossophobia) , or a fear of riding in elevators, which is itself a type of fear of closed spaces ( claustrophobia). Although phobias are common, they don't always cause considerable distress or significantly disrupt your life. For example, if you have a snake phobia, it may cause no problems in your everyday activities if you live in a city where you're not likely to run into one. On the other hand, if you have a severe phobia of crowded spaces, living in a big city would pose a problem. years – More realistic fears such as injury, illness, school performance, death, natural disasters. Sight – Look at anything that relaxes you or makes you smile: a beautiful view, family photos, cat pictures on the Internet.Procrastination . Always putting your goals off until “tomorrow” or “when I have more time” is a classic delay tactic of those who are living in fear . It’s time to stop making excuses and start achieving your dreams.

Sound – Listen to soothing music, sing a favorite tune, or play a musical instrument. Or enjoy the relaxing sounds of nature (either live or recorded): ocean waves, wind through the trees, birds singing.

10. Don’t Let Anyone Insult, Manipulate, or Use You

My friend and radio co-host, Sally Nutter, told me about a time she thought she couldn’t eat a pizza because she couldn’t find a knife to cut it. She finally realized that she could tear it up and enjoy it just as much. It’s a disabling condition that affects about 8% of the UK population at some point in their lives.” Compare this to you watching the sunset and feeling guilty that you should be making dinner, finishing a work assignment, doing laundry, calling your mother or anything other than just enjoying yourself. If you are religious or spiritual, this can give you a way of feeling connected to something bigger than yourself. Faith can provide a way of coping with everyday stress, and attending places of worship and other faith groups can connect you with a valuable support network. How can I get help? Talking therapies Art and music are the antidote to the stress and negativity of life. It is like the Yin and Yang. It is your choice whether to focus on the good or the bad. Contrary to what many people believe, art and music are not just whimsical pursuits; they are the breath of life.