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Do you ever get stuck in the vicious cycle of worry and fear in your life? As a published author of a managing fear book, I struggled with fear and anxiety for over 20 years.

Here is a brief summary of what I did to overcome the cycle of fear and anxiety in my life.

1. I got advice from the professionals:The first thing I did was to talk to various counselors since they know how to conquer fear and anxiety. Whenever I talked to the counselors, I would bring a notebook and take notes so I would not forget the advice that was given to me.
2. I became an expert on dealing with fear and anxiety: I did everything possible to learn as much as I could in removing my fears and anxieties in my life. I talked to professionals, read books, joined support groups, and learned from my experiences.
3. I surrounded myself with helpful people: I made it a habit of surrounding myself with supportive people who understood what I was going through. This really helped me out when I was really struggling with my anxieties and stresses.
4. I learned how to manage my fearful thoughts:The key in getting the edge off of your anxieties is by managing your fearful thinking. Whenever I would get a negative and fearful thought, I would challenge that thought with positive statements and realistic thinking. I also made it a habit to focus on the facts of my current situation and not on my negative thinking.
5. I was persistent:There were times I felt like giving up because my fears and anxieties were so powerful and I didn’t know what to do. I worried about what would happen and that just made my fears that much stronger. During those times, I would consult with a professional and I made it a point to learn from my experiences so that I would be better able to handle these situations in the future.
6. I did not make excuses: With a lot of practice, I became very good at reducing my fears and anxieties. I realized that the answers to my problems were out there, however it was up to me to find those techniques that would get my life back on track. Making excuses would not improve my situation.
7. I realized that you can’t predict the future:I realized that there are always factors and circumstances that I cannot predict or anticipate that could make a difference in my stressful and fearful situations. A person may be 99% correct in predicting the future, but all it takes is that 1% to make a difference. The key is to focus on the present.
8. I made the choice to get better: You have to make the effort to find the answers to overcome your situation.  It will not always be easy, but you can overcome the cycle of fear and worry with hard work and a willingness to learn from your everyday experiences.

Stan Popovich is the author of the popular managing fear book, “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear”. For more information about Stan’s book and to get some more free mental health advice, please visit Stan’s website at http://www.managingfear.com