Fear is a natural emotion that everyone experiences at some point. Regardless of what causes you to feel fear, the underlying emotion often causes us to avoid things that frighten us. If you have a fear of heights, you probably stay far away from roller coasters and other thrill rides. When your fear is of public speaking, you likely avoid any situation that requires you to talk in front of a group.

We tend to avoid things we're afraid of in order to protect ourselves from perceived harm. A fear of heights often translates to a fear of falling, which is a way to protect yourself from injury. A fear of speaking in public is often a fear of sounding foolish or speaking poorly, causing you to feel embarrassed. However, being open to new and even frightening experiences is the best way to overcome those fears. Instead of shying away, run toward what scares you most!

Of course, this is easier said than done, and it likely won't come naturally. But if you're willing to put in the work and face your fears, you may be able to overcome the situations that previously caused you to start sweating or set your heart racing. Best of all, you'll overcome what is holding you back from taking on a new project or starting up a new business, giving yourself a chance to succeed in new and exciting ways.

As you think about how to face your own fears, you can apply a few tips:

• Don't wait until you feel ready. When it comes to fear, you might never feel ready to overcome something that scares you. Instead of putting off the task at hand or avoiding what you don't want to do, face it head-on and run toward it.
• Take a few deep breaths. Breathing deeply can reset your emotions and help to calm you in a natural, soothing way.

Facing and overcoming your fears helps you grow and develop, push yourself in ways you never thought possible, and even increase your odds of success. Get started now by identifying a few of your biggest fears and jotting down ways you can face them.

Sources: Zenhabits, Medium, Psychology Today