Real-Life

"Three things a Kid should do when afraid"

Everyone feels fear. Age, intelligence, and even courage do not protect us from this scary emotion. Fear is actually built into our brains to keep us safe. You might have heard this called the fight-or-flight response. When we are afraid, a biochemical reaction floods the brain with hormones so that we can react quickly to danger. Threats and concerns can be real or imagined, but our bodies still react the same.

Scared Dog

Although you cannot escape fear, you can develop skills to handle it so that it does not overwhelm you. You can also learn how to use worries as a motivator to achieve your goals. Below are three ways to turn fearful emotions into positive experiences.

1 - Write Out Your Feelings

When we are scared about something, those thoughts live in the emotional part of our brain. That’s why everything feels so big and overwhelming. Something magical happens when we write those thoughts down. The physical action of writing activates the logical area of our brain, enabling us to think about the situation differently.

Journal Writing

The best part about journaling is that there is no wrong way to do it! You don’t even have to write in complete sentences. Bullet journaling, doodling, and making collages are other great ways to express the worries on your mind.

2 - Identify Why You Are Scared

Some fears are big, while others are small. Sometimes the things that make us feel threatened are physical, like a wasp buzzing around our head. Other times the threat could be emotional or mental. Your heart might race when it is time to take a test, or you may feel worried about a friend. There is usually a bigger reason why we are afraid. In these cases, maybe it is fear of failure or rejection, which causes embarrassment. That is something we all want to avoid.

Fear Graphic

Many emotions feed fear. Anxiety, stress, mistrust, doubt, nervousness, regret, loneliness, and confusion are just a few. When you identify the real reasons why you are afraid, then you can begin to work on solutions to overcome your concerns.

3 - Make a Plan to Conquer Your Fear

Knowledge is power when it comes to fighting fears. Sometimes it can be difficult to find someone who takes us seriously. Reach out to a family member, teacher, or friend to talk about your concerns even if they seem silly. Talking is important because it helps us realize that the problem may be smaller and more manageable than we think.

Getting support from those you trust can also help you create an action plan to face your fear. If you have an unrealistic phobia, like freaking out over spiders, then learn about how these eight-legged creatures are helpful—and which body markings distinguish harmful species.

Fear of Public Speaking0.5x 100

If you are afraid of giving a class presentation, practice in front of stuffed animals, then your family, and then your friends before you do it for real.

Fear is a very powerful feeling that can make it hard to face our problems, but we have the power to stand up to those scary things and overcome those concerns.

Fear of Spiders0.5x 100 

Real-Life!