Most of us are worrying too much—not just about big things but also little things.

It causes us to waste time and energy and prevents us from getting closer to our dreams.

Why is this happening?

Is it because we are afraid of losing something along the way? Is what we have to do or the outcomes too risky?

Whether you think it’s the former or the latter, the reality is that fear, loss, and risk can negatively impact your life.

All of it starts with deciding whether you should or shouldn’t do something.

Stopping Before You Even Start 

How many times have you wanted to make friends because you are lonely, but a fear of rejection stopped you from saying “Hi” to someone?

How many times have you wanted a better job but didn’t apply because you thought you weren’t qualified enough?

How many times have you wanted to pursue a dream but didn’t because you feared failure?

It’s sad to think that so many of us never even try to do things because we are scared of the outcomes. Our worries outweigh the potential benefits.

Risk Versus Loss

Nobody wants to lose something. We don’t want to lose money, a career, or our reputations.

Every choice you make also has a risk attached to it. There is a chance that things won’t go according to plan, but there’s also a chance that they will.

A recent research study considered the idea of risk aversion versus loss aversion. More specifically, it considers how people take risks when they are anxious.

Standing on a Bridge

A loss has a predefined consequence attached to it; in contrast, risk considers whether these consequences are likely to happen.

For example, if a bridge were to collapse, the likely consequence (loss) is death if you were standing on it. However, the chance (risk) of a bridge collapsing while you are on it is one in several million.

For some people, the fear of a bridge collapsing is so immense that they refuse to go on one. The risk factor is blown out of proportion.

They are so worried it will collapse that they miss the opportunity to see what’s on the other side—opportunities, success, or love.

Increased Risk Accompanies Anxiety

The research study considered how participants with anxiety disorders made choices and took risks.

Researchers split the group into two: The first contained individuals who were being treated for their anxiety. The second group had received no treatment.

The results showed that participants from the second group took increased risks. They would select riskier choices during experiments than compared to the first group.

It shows that worrying (anxiety) can affect your decision-making because you aren’t thinking rationally.

The researchers also found that cognitive behavioral therapy, which works on changing the thought process, was a good treatment to reduce anxiety and improve decision-making when it came to risk.

Start Doing Something

Fear can be debilitating. It can stop you from doing so much in your life, but this doesn’t have to be your reality any longer.

Learn how to Win the Game of Fear by changing your approach to risk, loss, and thinking.

It’s a life-changing training session that will help you achieve what you really want in your personal and professional life.

Manage Your Anxiety

It’s normal to take risks throughout your life, but you want to take calculated risks. You need to consider how a decision will benefit you and the consequences if it goes wrong.

When you are anxious, it becomes difficult to think clearly. Your sympathetic (emotional) system kicks in, and that causes poor decision-making.

You have to slow down and let your mind regain control so that the parasympathetic (rational) system can do its job. This way, you will make better decisions.

Our Innercise™ workouts are created with this in mind.

Take a Breath

The fastest way to calm down is to focus on your breathing. The Take 6 Calm the Circuits Innercise™ is ideal when you are anxious.

Follow these steps to get the best results:

1. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Feel your chest expanding as you do so.
2. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Release the breath as if you were blowing through a straw.
3. Repeat the previous steps six times.

As you breathe, focus on inhaling positivity and exhaling negativity.

Meditate

Meditating involves focusing on the present moment instead of letting your thoughts drift all over the place. It’s a great way to stop overthinking when your emotions become out of control.

Do it like this:

1. Sit or lie down in a quiet spot. Close your eyes. Take several deep breaths.
2. Allow your thoughts to drift across your consciousness. Don’t dwell on them. Just observe them; then, let them go.
3. If you want to, focus on a positive affirmation like “I am in control of my thoughts.”

Stay this way for 5 to 10 minutes.

Be Mindful

When you are worried, it’s normal to have a flurry of emotions and irrational thoughts. You are anticipating things that might not even happen.

It helps to be mindful during these times, which simply means you focus on the present moment.

While you take deep breaths, take a look around you and observe your surroundings. Feel the air against your skin, the way your body moves as you breathe, and try to detect smells or sounds.

Enjoy the moment you are in rather than thinking about other things.

Talk to Someone

Talking to other people about your worries can help you understand your situation and fears better.

Confide in a family member, friend, or therapist. Sometimes, hearing the issue out loud and getting the opinion of someone else is all you need to realize that you aren’t thinking logically.

Abolish Fear and Anxiety

Fear and anxiety frequently go together. Both can be debilitating and take over your life. This doesn’t have to be the case any longer.

Take back your life and dreams by signing up for our training on Winning the Game of Fear. It’s an amazing opportunity to do something for yourself with no risk—only rewards.

Stop Worrying Too Much 

There are many practical ways to manage your anxiety. Some might seem useless to you while others work wonders.

Try as many different strategies as possible to determine what works best for you. The ultimate goal remains the same: Worry less and do more.

Consider the Pros and Cons

Worrying makes you emotional, which could result in the wrong choices. You can make better decisions by thinking things through logically.

With every decision, take some time to consider all perspectives. Write down the advantages and disadvantages of the situation to see whether the risk is worth the reward.

Do some research to help you figure out the chances of things going wrong and right. Find out if there are some ways (like doing courses or reading books) to help you become more familiar with the topic and increase your chances of success.

Imagine the Worst and Best

Sometimes, it helps to think about what could go wrong and right with a situation.

Going back to the bridge, the worst could be that it does collapse, and you die. The best-case scenario is that you cross it safely and experience amazing things on the other side.

This is the case with everything in life—if you are willing to think about both sides and not just the negative.

Next time you are anxious, close your eyes and imagine things going wrong. Put that image into a frame and send it to the back corner of your mind.

Then, imagine the best outcomes playing out on a movie theater screen. Focus on that image and determine what you need to do to make it a reality.

Create Actionable Milestones

Now that you have the best-case scenario at the front of your mind, it’s time to start making it a reality.

Deciding you want something isn’t enough; you have to take action.

Identify something small you can do right now to make your dream a reality. It could mean sending a message to a friend, updating your CV, or looking for places to go river rafting.

These small actions can take you a step closer to what you want, and it helps to alleviate some of your worries because you are taking control.

Set a goal for yourself to get what you want. It can seem big but don’t let that put you off.

Create an action plan to achieve your goal by breaking it down into small milestones that you can manage.

Stop Worrying: Start Living

Fear can stop you from doing so many things. It can keep you from having a relationship, pursuing a new job, or going bungee jumping.

It may seem impossible to overcome your fears, but it’s entirely possible if you start believing in yourself. It starts with changing your thoughts.

At Winning the Game of Fear, we will show you how to let go of limiting beliefs, anxiety, and fear so that you live a life without limits. Sign up today!