With the new year around the corner, there is much uncertainty of what's to come. Where uncertainty goes, fear follows. Nobody could have predicted the chaos that 2020 brought with the pandemic, people losing their jobs, and us as a society having to change our lifestyles for the whole year.

Luckily, vaccines for COVID-19 are right around the corner, and we can hopefully return to some sense of "normal" within the next several months. Until then, here are four fears you should overcome to take the edge off.

1. Fear of others opinions

Earlier this year, I started a YouTube channel making videos about tech, my lifestyle, and productivity. The thought of putting myself online in front of potentially millions of strangers drove my anxiety through the roof, especially since I consider myself a shy person so being in front of a camera doesn't come naturally. I was afraid of being made fun of, that my video content wouldn't be good, and that I would be judged.

But after my first few videos, the anxiety began to fade and people actually enjoyed my content! Of course, it's the internet and you can't please everyone. But I didn't care, because I was enjoying it and now I look forward to making new videos when I get an idea. Plus, I learned that I enjoyed finding new ways to make videos fun to watch, and challenge myself to make each one better than the last.

2. Fear of change

It's no secret that the pandemic forced many of us to shift the way we do things day to day, namely having to adapt to working remotely and limiting social contact with others. This has caused everyone to adjust to virtual meetings, staying indoors more often, and limited social contact, which has been harder for some than others.

Change is inevitable in our lives, and fearing it will make adapting to new situations harder than it needs to be. Whether it's a new technology or another event that causes a lifestyle shift, embracing change will make the process of it easier.

3. Fear of rejection

In life, you're going to be told no more often than yes, so you might as well go for whatever it is you were going to do anyway. Rejection hurts, but the pain of it is temporary! All it takes is one yes. So apply for that job or pitch your product/service to a customer, because the worst case scenario is that they say no and you get to try again.

4. Fear of failure

Like rejection, you're probably gonna fail more often than you succeed, especially when you're learning something new. When I first started coding, I was afraid of learning certain things because I thought I was going to break something. Turns out, even people with much more experience than me break stuff all the time (even the pros at big companies!). Accept the fact that the first time you do something new, it's probably not going to be perfect, but see it as an opportunity to improve and get better!

What should I fear?

Fear is a natural human emotion, and we can't be unafraid of everything. However, one thing that everyone should be afraid of is regret. It isn't talked about often enough, but avoiding pursuing a business, a hobby, or some other venture because you're afraid of any of the things above will leave. Imagine yourself being twice your age, and still not at least trying any of the things you're thinking about doing today. Scary, right?

Start small today. Worst case scenario, you learn that something isn't for you and you don't have to worry about it anymore so you can move on with your life.

I hope reading this has inspired you to take your first steps towards something you love. Good luck and have a happy new year!