How can you overcome fear and anxiety when expressing your opinions?

Identifying the source of our fears is indeed the first step towards overcoming them. As a psychiatrist, I see firsthand how this awareness can transform anxiety into a manageable challenge. It's not just about facing our fears but understanding them, which empowers us to take control. This approach is not only applicable in therapy but in our daily lives, reminding us that the power to change lies within our grasp.

Your opinions matter as much as anyone else's. Unless, you have no expertise in a particular area. Then you should defer. People will thank you for your good judgment.

In my experience as a hypnotherapist, your fear comes from something you have experienced in the past. While challenging fears at a conscious level can be tough, working with your unconscious mind allows access to the root cause. By addressing the event that triggered the fear, you can effectively eliminate it.

The extent of your fear can be minimised by the purity of your intent. Often due to fear, we swallow a lot of stress within, which ultimately impacts us both physically and mentally. While expressing yourself, you must know if your intent is right, your opinion will benefit you as well as the other person. Be it self-doubt, fear of rejection or whatever that defines the source of your fear, if you know it needs to be said, go for it. Speaking from experience, 9 out of 10 times you will be respected for putting your point across. For that one time where you aren't respected, probably it won't even matter in the long run.

I used to dread sharing my opinions, often feeling overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. It wasn’t until I started small, voicing my thoughts in casual conversations with friends, that I began to build confidence. I learned to prepare by organizing my points beforehand, which made me feel more grounded. Attending workshops on public speaking and joining a local Toastmasters club also helped me practice in a supportive environment. Over time, I realized that my experiences and perspectives were valuable, and that fear was just a barrier I could break through. Now, I approach discussions with a sense of calm and confidence, knowing that my voice matters.

In the journey towards self-confidence, the deliberate preparation of our thoughts plays a pivotal role in overcoming anxiety. This method isn't just about collecting information; it's about structuring our ideas in a manner that boosts our ability to articulate them confidently. Personally, for those of us in the field of psychiatry, this approach is particularly valuable. It strengthens our communication with clients, fostering a deeper understanding and facilitating recovery. Embracing this process can significantly elevate our self-esteem, enabling us to navigate life's challenges with greater assurance.

The more ready you are, the better. Gathering facts boosts confidence, and practicing what you want to say out loud can help you feel prepared.

I agree with Peter Zafirides that preparation helps to structure my opinions which in turn helps me to overcome my fears of “what will the others think? Is it a strong enough opinion? etc. Checking in with myself, why is it important to me to share that opinion is another way of building self confidence. I ask myself, what is my motivation to share my opinion: do I want to contribute by adding a different perspective? Do I want to rectify “false” information? Or is it an ego-thing along the lines of: do I want to be seen? do I want to win? Esp. while voicing my opinion in public like in a conference setting it really helps to know the place where I am speaking from. The more I am grounded, the less I have fear expressing my opinion.

Let me cut to the chase here... Confidence is having immense trust to yourself. In practical terms, this means that the only (and I mean ONLY) way to build confidence is to build trust in your practice. Want to be confident? Well practice like crazy what you want to have confidence in? Having said that remember that there are also two kinds of confidence. The first is having that sense of belief in yourself. The second is acting in a confident manner. Don't confuse confidence as a feeling with confidence as an action. We live in a world which is sculpted by action. So the only realistic way to build confidence in something is actually taking action. Which brings us back to the idea og building trust into your practice.

Preparation is a powerful tool in reducing anxiety about expressing your opinions. When you’ve clearly thought through your ideas and backed them up with facts or examples, you’ll feel more confident sharing them. For instance, if you're preparing for a meeting, write down key points and rehearse how you’ll present them. This practice helps you communicate more effectively and reduces the likelihood of freezing up in the moment. Think of it like preparing a recipe—when you’ve got all the ingredients measured out, you’re less likely to end up with a cake that tastes like pancakes!

Be intentional about how you show up in spaces outside your comfort zone. When I started my MBA, I made it a goal to do at least one small, gradual thing that scared me in each new space. In class, that meant raising a hand to answer or ask a question. At networking events, it looked like talking to at least one new person. Little by little, the exposure built my self-confidence and self-trust. The second part is accountability. Make sure you have a way of following through. Some days will be harder to take these calculated "risks" and that's okay. Give yourself some grace but make sure it doesn't happen too often. Grace is not an excuse. Sometimes telling a friend is all the accountability you need.

Practising will give you the confidence you need to up the ante. Start at a level that you feel very comfortable. It could be with your mom, your friends or people you don't even know (ex. the barista at the coffee shop). When you feel more comfortable, dial up the dial, and express your opinion in a more challenging situation. It could be with supportive colleagues. If you give yourself little challenges, daily, you are on your way to overcome your fear.

Practicing your opinions is a powerful step in overcoming fear and anxiety. In my work in psychiatry, I've seen how turning thoughts into spoken words can significantly boost self-confidence and reduce anxiety. It's about taking those prepared thoughts and daring to voice them, whether in therapy sessions or daily conversations. This practice is not just therapeutic; it's a skill-building exercise that enhances our ability to engage with the world around us. With practice, we learn to better express our feeling and opinions. In this way, we tackle our fears and build a stronger sense of self.

Action is the ultimate form of theory. In a world that is sculpted by action the only realistic way to build confidence is to build trust in what you practice. So... Step 1: Find an area in your life where you need to be confident. Step 2: Now start practicing. Step 3: Give yourself time. Step 4: Repeat Step 2 and 3.

Before you present, take three deep breaths to calm your nervous system and feel grounded. While presenting, keep your opinions in check. If you face a challenge, remember that it's your opinions being questioned, not you personally.

Don't manage emotions. You can't. Nobody can. You can only manage your actions and through that your emotions. How? Here is a 5 step process: Step 1: Look inside yourself to see what you feel and think. Step 2: Name it. e.g. I feel fear, I'm thinking the last time I failed. Step 3: Just observe the thought for a minute or two. Step 4: Ask yourself this -> Regardless that I feel/think this thing, what move can I make right now - no matter how small - to move towards the life I want to create? Step 5: Make that move.

Managing emotions is key to overcoming fear and anxiety. This process goes beyond merely understanding emotions; it involves practical steps to regulate them, enhancing resilience and emotional stability. In my psychiatric practice, teaching clients to navigate their emotional landscapes has been transformative. We incorporate techniques like mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and exposure therapy, tailored to each individual's needs. Seeing people gain mastery over their emotions and fears reaffirms the impact of emotion management in building a healthier, more balanced life.

I think that noticing one’s emotions is already a great step. Just to let them happen and not to judge them and being patient to see if they pass by or not. Again, knowing why those felt emotions are triggered can also be helpful and being able to name them - then you can learn how to tame them ??. Breathing deeply and calmly while experiencing the emotions always helps me. Managing emotions sounds a bit “harsh” and mechanistic to me. One might even run into the temptation to shut them out. Whereas I think it is important to be able to feel one’s emotions, both the pleasurable and less desirable ones. I hence prefer the term “to (self-)regulate emotions.”

You may differ in perspective with others, but always be respectful. By doing this, you may learn something new, and at the same time, you develop a good reputation. This not only builds positive relationships within the team but also enhances your professional growth and opens doors to new opportunities.

Respecting others' opinions is a crucial step in overcoming fear and anxiety. Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued not only enriches our understanding but also reduces the anxiety associated with expressing oneself. This principle has personally guided my approach to therapy, encouraging patients to openly share their thoughts and listen to others. Such dialogue promotes empathy and understanding, helping individuals navigate their fears in a supportive context. Embracing different viewpoints can significantly enhance our emotional well-being and resilience.

There is a saying in Europe that “each of us views the world from their own bell tower”. This image resonates with me as it reminds me that a person cannot possibly view or see a situation or subject the exact same way as I do. So, it is less about a disagreement, but rather differing views. By reframing someone else’s view to be differing and not as being in disagreement, I find it takes a lot of pressure of a conversation or a debate. Again, I would again like to highlight the importance of asking oneself the question “do I want to win? Or do I want to contribute (to the discussion)? Or do I want to work things out? How and why am I so attached to my option? And lastly, what can I learn from someone else’s opinion?

I am not sure I agree with this step. Confidence is essentially something that has to do with how we connect to ourselves. Why compare to others. Again the idea is to build trust in practicing what you want to develop confidence in.

I realise while reading the 7th step “celebrate your achievement” it might have a culturally different connotation for me and my Asian background when working with clients. I may feel pressured to “actively” celebrate my success. Rather, I would encourage a client to write down their experience in their journal under a caption like “I am grateful for…” “Today I noticed that…” “I tried out something new and…” “What helped me today was…” “With whom would I like to share my experience, so they could also learn from it?”

The words you say to yourself matter more than anything. Be proud of what you have done, no matter how small. Success is a series of positive self-increments that you create!

The thing I found most helpful was taking the focus away from myself and instead to the subject at hand. So often we focus so much on ourselves and what others will think we also forget to pay attention to everyone else. Whether it is a project or a casual movie review, we've all got opinions and it might seem difficult to express our own opinion if we worry about someone else's reaction. It helps to remember, we're here to talk about the topic and not each other. So now, instead of focusing on what people will think of me, I take a deep breath and express my opinion, and find happiness in it furthering a conversation and learning from others about their opinions and knowledge.

The AI "how tos” are helpful, but skate over the real work it takes to overcome fear and anxiety in expressing yourself. I can speak for myself and the years it took to be able to communicate without paralyzing fear. Although having a clear idea of where most of this fear came from and knowing it had to be addressed in present time to lessen its stranglehold, freedom doesn’t usually happen overnight. Taking time to gradually increase your self-awareness about what underlies your fears is critical. Taking baby steps toward outwardly expressing yourself can build over time. Committing to: 1) moving beyond your fears/anxiety and 2) cultivating a realization of your intrinsic value are two fundamentals that will also help you move forward.

Embrace gradual exposure: Start by expressing opinions in low-risk environments, gradually increasing comfort and confidence. Cultivate self-compassion: Be kind to yourself during the process, understanding that everyone has fears and anxieties when sharing opinions. Focus on the message, not the reaction: Direct your attention to the value of your opinion rather than anticipating others' reactions, allowing for more authentic expression.

Try power posing before your presentation. It boosts your confidence by releasing chemicals like testosterone and reducing stress (cortisol), setting the stage for a more effective delivery.