Saima Ikram
The cultures often favor relentless positivity over the emotional messiness of real life. You are told to shove down your emotions and get down with it. It is then when you get into a tyranny of false positivity. Avoiding emotions make you anxious and weaken your emotional resilience. Tackling all kinds of difficult hurdles requires courage emotional courage.
Emotional courage is the driving force behind anything important that you want to accomplish. It is the ability to understand and manage your emotions and to connect with other people. According to a vulnerability researcher Brene Brown, you should be vulnerable and allow yourself to be seen. When you are willing to be vulnerable, truthful, and aware of the entire spectrum of both positive and negative emotions, you are the one having the emotional courage.
For increasing the chances of taking action during critical moments, you need to have the emotional courage. Following are the few principles that you can apply in different situations:
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Stop overthinking:
When you are faced with a troubled situation, it often makes you overthink. You need to focus your attention on the main issue and consider the options that seem appropriate. Remove all the ideas that seem vague and decide to take action. It is important to think about all the aspects but not to overthink as it can make a situation worse.
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Focus on the main issue:
While dealing with an issue it is important to stay focused. Focus on what the problem is rather than thinking about the outcome. You must keep your thinking on the strong points that are linked to solving an issue and enter the situation without avoiding it
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Commit yourself:
For taking an action you must commit before ahead of time. You need to voice your intentions to yourself by making an appointment with the person you are intended to meet. This declaration to yourself will not only boost your confidence but will give you the emotional courage.
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Share with a friend:
When you are about to make a commitment, it often scares you that whether you will be able to stick to it. Involve your friend by sharing your fear and anxiety. It will help you feel less uncomfortable and you will interact with others in a better way.
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Practice in a less scary situation:
The idea of giving a presentation in front of your boss may send a chill down your spine. For overcoming the state of panic in such a situation, it is best to practice the same in a less scary situation. Start by doing a comedy open mike in front of complete strangers and when you get some laughs from them, point towards your real topic. This will give you the emotional courage and you will be much better when you will have a presentation in front of your co-workers and boss.
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Think of the effects:
When you do something by overcoming your fear, it does seem you have achieved a lot. When fear creeps into your mind, think of the feelings of empowerment, confidence, motivation, and determination that you will experience afterward. Despite your fear, you will feel more determined and courageous inside.
