The fear of the unknown can sometimes be very difficult to describe because this fear is nothing more than a mental obstacle. More than often, it curbs an individual’s ability to perform to the fullest in various walks of life. Every time an individual encounters an unfamiliar situation, the fear manifests itself, and prevents an individual from taking the right decisions in life. Usually, an individual chooses to run away from the situation, and in the process losses certain opportunities in life. There are times when an individual has to move away from his/her comfort zone to experience better things in life. The fear of the unknown prevents an individual from leaving his/her comfort zone.

If you can relate to the above symptoms of fear, you would be glad to know that you can get rid of the fear of the unknown by incorporating some simple changes in your life. The basic step involved in fighting the fear is to educate oneself about the fear and then confront it, rather than avoiding it. Remember, the fear of the unknown can make way into your life through various different sources. While some individuals worry about their new job, new relationship etc, there are others who fear about their body weight, public appearance and so on.

Understand your fear

First and foremost, you need to understand the cause of the fear. Remember, fear is a natural human instinct. Almost each one of us fears about something or the other. The fear of the unknown stems from certain things, situations or memories in life. Ask yourself, what you fear the most and what kind of situation you frequently avoid in your routine life. Once you are able to figure out the root cause of the fear, you will find it easier to combat it.

Learn about the real risk

In some cases, the fear of the unknown would be based on certain factors that are beyond our control. In such instances, educating oneself about the fear is the best way to curb the fear of the unknown. For instance, some individuals fear that the world will come to end in the year 2013. Some fear that they might get trapped in a lift with nobody to help them. These fears may appear dramatic and are beyond one’s control. Learning about the real risk can help one a great deal over here. For example, if the liftman assures you that no one has been trapped in the lift for more than 5 minutes, you will be able to eradicate the fear of the unknown to a great degree. The actual chance of the world coming to an end in the year 2013 is less than 1%. Over here, learning about these realities can ease your fear.

Power of visualization

Other methods that can be used to combat the fear of the unknown involve visualization and meditation. These methods will help you focus on the positives, rather than focusing on your fear. Over here, you will have to find a quiet place, which is immune from all kinds of noise so that you can meditate peacefully. Once you find a quiet place, stay seated and visualize in your mind how you are going to fight your fear step by step. Imagine different ways to combat your fear at least once in a day. Habitual practice of this activity will make you feel better. In this manner, you will already win the battle in your mind, before you set off to take real action.

Take baby steps

If you are living with a fear that can cause no real harm to you, then your best bet would be to take baby steps towards eradicating the fear. For instance, if you fear of public speaking, address a small gathering that involves your friends and dear ones to embark the first step towards killing the fear. If you fear heights, start using the stairs instead of the lift. These baby steps will go a long way in helping you fight your fear over a period of time.

Use humor to fight fear

Humor is another great way to get rid of the fear of the unknown. The idea is to ease your mind to ensure that there are no unwanted thoughts that are troubling you. Hang around with your friends and spend some time watching funny movies. You shouldn’t be taking life very seriously over here, so that you are able to kill the fear in a humorous manner. Remember, time once lost cannot be recreated. While being scared of something is a human instinct, you don’t have to spend all day long worrying about the unknown fear. Our mind tends to think about the worst case scenarios, but the worst may not happen at all.
source: http://successprinciples.info/living-fear-unknown-steps-overcome/

Great write-up.
But can fear of the unknown be eliminated completely?
Consider the saying, "people fear what they don't understand (know)."
There's need to stop thinking about that fear and take actions in overcoming them.
I recall when my group were meant to do some presentation and we had to come out, my legs kept shaking even though I was yet to say anything though I didn't have to face the class.
But the next time I was opportune to present and face the class, I prepared myself internally and told myself, let's do this and boom, it worked.
But to get better at it, you need practice.