9 Ways to Face Your Fears

9 Ways to Face Your Fears

By Therese J. Borchard

Fears are like annoying relatives. You can't avoid them forever, and ignoring them won't make them go away. Come Thanksgiving, they'll plop down right next to you and ask to borrow your fork. So you'd better figure out how to confront the little devils before they eat your dessert too. Here are a few fun ideas for how to tell your fears to hit the bricks.

Begin to face your fears.

Yell at Them

Tell them to go to a place where there are no lemonade stands.

Laugh at Them

A good technique: start with "ha" and end with "hee."

Talk About Them

Preferably to a friend, over a cup of strong coffee.

Scare Them Away

Any mask will do, but any beast or vampire getup is particularly effective.

Dress Them Up

With the right attire and hairdo, you can make anything seem attractive and desirable (to someone else), right?

Harness Them

If they are under your control, you don't have to worry about them.

Interrogate Them

Ask them the hard questions, including: where, what, why, when, and how? Then get a mug shot.

Bully Them

Boss them around like the scary dude in the fifth grade who made you cry. You're bigger than they are --don't let them forget it.

Free Them

Let them go. Tell them to have fun, but not to come back.