Fears can keep you from accomplishing your goals and dreams. Identifying your biggest fears is one of the first steps to overcoming them. Whether it’s the fear of public speaking, a fear of losing your job, or a fear of feeling rejection, these are all legitimate concerns. However, it’s important to not let those fears stop you from living your best life. The best way to deal with your biggest fears is to face them head on and learn to conquer them. Trying to avoid the things you are afraid of will only reinforce those feelings.
Throughout the pandemic, Americans’ worries focused on illness and death with two of the top five scariest fears being that they or someone close to them would become seriously ill or that their loved ones’ deaths would cause rifts in their relationships. While this remains a prevalent concern, the focus on these issues seemed to have dropped off in recent weeks.
A return to environmental concerns was also apparent with the fears of pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes entering the list of Americans’ top 10 fears. This increase in attention to environmental concerns may reflect a growing anxiety over climate change and its consequences.
Crime was also a major concern for many Americans with the most common fear being mass shootings, followed by home burglary and then credit card fraud. As people continue to work from home and the use of online banking grows, this increased emphasis on cybercrime is likely to remain a prominent issue.
As a sign that focuses on relationships, it’s no surprise that Cancers are most afraid of divorce. This is probably due to the fact that they tend to be very concerned with family and friends’ opinions and values. They don’t do well with big changes and often feel protective of those closest to them.
In addition, Cancers can be very emotional. Those emotions can lead them to be overly sensitive, which can sometimes lead to them having a hard time trusting others. It’s not uncommon for them to feel betrayed when a friend or relative does something that they don’t agree with.
If you are having a difficult time dealing with your biggest fears, seek the help of a mental health provider. Using cognitive behavioral therapy, they can teach you to recognize negative thoughts and learn how to react more productively. They can also provide you with tools to overcome your biggest fears, one step at a time.