How Students Can Overcome Fear and self-doubt? This is a scene any student will agree with. You are sitting in the exam hall, and there’s this constant flutter in your stomach. Your palms are sweaty, and your voice choked with- fear, of course. This could be the scenario just before a presentation in class, too. However, never make the mistake of equating fear with weakness. It is not so. Fear simply means that you are human! It’s just another emotion. How you handle it is what matters.
Understanding fearful feelings
How Students Can Overcome Fear ? The first step towards overcoming fearful thoughts is to understand where they come from. We all know that we are living in a competitive world. As students, our academic performance is constantly compared with that of others. Over time, this pressure could lead to negative emotions like fear and guilt. Gradually, you feel that you don’t quite fit into the achiever’s category. The nagging fear of failure plants seeds of self-doubt in the mind.
Journal the thoughts
How Students Can Overcome Fear ? One good way to overcome thoughts of self-doubt is to practice positive affirmation. Better still, write down these positive affirmations. For example, replace “ I am poor in Maths” with “ I may be poor in Maths now, but with hard work and regular practice, I will be as good as anyone else in the class”. The key here is to observe your thoughts. As soon as a fearful thought comes to your mind, don’t obsess over it. Take a few deep breaths. Calm yourself. Tell yourself that you will be positive and have the will and ability to overcome any challenge.
Take care of your mental and physical health
How Students Can Overcome Fear ? If you were to dig deeper, you would find that mental fatigue is often the reason behind fear. Make sure that you are getting adequate sleep. Take regular breaks between studies. Spend time in nature, enjoying greenery and fresh air. Do some stretching or play a sport. Even a relaxing stroll for a few minutes can help drive away anxiety and stress.
Preparation the key
One of the primary reasons for anxiety with respect to academics is a lack of proper preparation. Make sure that you are regular with your studies. Be disciplined and allocate a particular time for study every day. Once you are up to date with your studies, confidence flows – whether you are presenting something in a class or appearing for examinations.
Face the fear
How Students Can Overcome Fear ? The best way to go forward would be to take the bull by the horns. Take small steps. For example, try speaking up in a class. Take the initiative to lead a school activity. If you feel that you are weak in a subject, try putting in extra hours of study and make incremental progress. All these initiatives will add up, strengthening your confidence.
Don’t compare yourself with others
Peer pressure is often the reason behind the rise in anxiety levels. Remember, every human being born on this planet is unique. You have got your own set of talents and abilities. Remember, your competition is not with others, but the ‘you’ of yesterday. Make a firm resolve to put aside negative thoughts and make progress – every single day.
Accept failure
How Students Can Overcome Fear ? The oft-heard adage,” failure is the stepping stone to success”, stands good even today. Treat failure as a teacher. Learn from your mistakes, try to rectify them, and get a move on. There is no use sulking or dwelling over setbacks. Just as success, failures too are a part and parcel of life. How you deal with them matters. Focus on progress, not perfection.
Seek support
As mentioned earlier, there is no shame in accepting your self-doubts. Every one of us has them. If you feel overwhelmed with them, seek help. You can talk to your parents, teachers, friends, or counsellors. Remember, there is a great deal of support waiting to help you through.
At the school, we guide students to identify and overcome self- doubts. This is done through mentoring and a positive learning environment, which encourages every child to explore their inner strength and adds to their confidence levels. Call us today and find out what makes us a top CBSE school in Coimbatore.
