Face your fears

Whether you’re afraid of failure or worry about what others might think, it’s usually fear that stops you trying something new. Use these techniques to challenge – and overcome – your concerns:

Acknowledge the fear, and its role in alerting and preparing you, then move it to the back of your mind.

Focus on the evidence, not what you imagine might happen – for example, the likelihood of dying during a bungee jump is far smaller than getting in a car.

Visualise yourself trying something new and imagine the sense of achievement.

Ask yourself, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’

Think about why you want to do something and what you hope to get out of the experience.

If you feel anxious, try counting as a way of distracting your brain from whatever it is that you fear.

Remember that courageous people are not fearless and fear is an essential part of being brave in life.