HEALTH

 

Spiders, snakes, heights, clowns...we're all afraid of diffferent things. But there is one fear that most of us have in common: the fear of failure. In fact, a recent study found that during puberty, seven out of 10 girls avoid trying new things because they're afraid to fail. Yikes.

Peep the inspiring vid from the Always #LikeAGirl campaign below, then read on for the secret to overcoming your own fear of failure... 

First, where does the fear of failure come from?
As kids, we tend to be pretty fearless. But then we become pre-teens and teens...and suddenly things get a lot trickier and our confidence tanks. Girls especially face a *ton* of pressure to be perfect, to fit in, to get the most likes on your selfies or just to be what society tells us is "beautiful." And with social media playing such a huge role in our lives (yes, Insta envy is a real thing), it's no wonder that we are constantly worried about not living up to those expectations.

How do you get over it?
Learning not to be afraid of being anything less than perfect is tough but it's also totally possible. Here are our top tips for slaying your scaries.

1. Play the five year game—ask yourself if whatever you're afraid of will matter in five years. If the answer is no (which it probably will be if you're being honest), then there's no need to stress over it. For example, even if you completely mess up that science project you are *so* terrified of presenting in front of everyone, it won't even be a blip on your radar in 2022.

2. Take even more risks. Sounds contradictory but trust us—the more you try new things, the more confidence and knowledge and strength you'll build as you succeed. Plus, when you do fail, you'll learn how to get back up and be resilient so you're less afraid of failing the next time because you know you can handle it.

3. Put things into perspective. Remember that we *all* fail at some point or another. Yes, even that girl you think is the most perfect human on Earth. Failure is natural and it's just a part of life. The sooner you accept that, the better off you'll feel and the more willing you'll be to go for different opportunities or dreams. Look at your friends, parents or older sibs to see how they've handled some not-so-great moments and learn from it.

For more inspiration (and for mega girl power vibes), visit the Always #LikeAGirl website. Then, tell us what *you* would do if you weren't afraid to fail below! 

by Amanda Tarlton | 8/21/2017