One of my strongest tools for dealing with fear and nipping it in the bud is compassion. The reason it works so well, is because it takes the focus off of the self, the ego, and places it on sharing love and kindness with others. I gave it some thought to see if compassion could combat all fears, and found that it is more relevant for some than others. For instance, compassion is probably not going to help you get over a fear of roller coasters or heights, but it can help you get over a fear tarantulas!