Growing up in the western part of Nigeria really toughened and made me fearless. But I must confess Roller coaster is not really my thing. I tried it once and the experience ended up creating a limit for my choices of rides whenever I visit amusement parks.

On a recent visit to the parks, I learnt what it takes to break this fear from a teenager. Like me he had phobia for rides. (To be honest he is way better as he went on some rides I would never go on.) This young man went on the craziest ride available at the park. When the ride came to an end, his dad and I walked up to him laughing, concluding that this would be his limit. But we were wrong. He came out and said “I’m going back one more time”. Wow! He sure did. He pushed his limits and conquered his fears for that ride.

Because you feel things “could” go wrong doesn’t mean they will.

It is true that fear is an inescapable reality of life. However, to fear is one thing, and to allow fear to paralyze you and keep you from moving forward is another. Fear can prevent you from pursuing your goals, expanding your life, making positive changes, breaking destructive habits or taking risk that can give birth to joy in your life.

“I’ve learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom – how great is that?” – Soledad O’Brien

Most often we entertain fear and fail to act on decisions because we do not have all of the necessary information needed. Sometimes we wish we knew more. While that in itself is not a bad thing, it is imperative not to allow fear limit you in any way because in most cases, you’ll never have all the information you need. You will need to defy fear and search for them.

Let the voice of faith be louder than the voice of fear.

You have been inwardly fashioned by God for faith, not for fear. The Bible says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

The fears we fail to conquer or face can become our limits.

I am sure just like me, you have dreams, goals and projects you have planned to embark on. I will like to remind you that none of them can be realized if you don’t face your fears time after time as they build up against you. It is time to learn how to conquer your fears and start making decisions for yourself! So pray, take action on what’s stopping you, read a good book on your specific fear, find someone who had the fear you have, but managed to get rid of it. Get in touch with them, ask them how they did it, and explore their strategies if it might be a good fit for your own life. Go out there and face your fears.