Stress: It’s part of being an entrepreneur… but you can handle it.

18% of Americans suffer from an anxiety disorder; 44% of people lose sleep every night due to being “stressed-out,” and many people, even though they don’t know it, let fear keep them from succeeding. Stress, anxiety and fear are a few of the biggest roadblocks to success.

Stress, anxiety and fear are often fostered in situations with lots of unknowns, pressure and decisions. Entrepreneurs and business owners are placed in these kinds of situations almost daily. This means you are not alone in dealing with these feelings. What you do with them, though, is what will set you apart from others. When you learn to handle your stress, you can then learn to use it to make you (and your business) better.

First, choose to find the positive. Everyone makes mistakes, even entrepreneurs – even SUCCESSFUL entrepreneurs. So when you make a mistake, learn from it. Ask yourself what positive lesson you can take away from the experience.

Second, make exercise a part of your daily routine. Exercise is an important factor in handling stress. Did you know one thing many successful business leaders have in common is that they work out every day? Check out this article from Entrepreneur to learn more about how beneficial daily physical activity is to business success.

Third, smile. Learn to embrace laughter, even directed at yourself but not directed at others. Research has proven time and time again that smiling makes you feel better, and laughter really is good medicine.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, there are a few simple things to do when you are feeling anxious: take a time-out, accept that you cannot control everything and welcome humor. A few suggestions to overcome fear include don’t panic, face your fear head on, look at the situation logically and talk to somebody outside the situation about your fears.

Learning how to deal with stress, anxiety and fear is essential for those who are placed in situations each day where these obstacles are commonplace. You can do it.