Fear hides itself in many areas of our lives. It will fuel the worry about ourselves, our future, and our loved ones. It will fuel the anxiety we feel when we are facing a change in our lives, trying new things, facing the unknown, or trying to process civil unrest and what to do to help.
Fear is something that sneaks into our lives and can take over in a heartbeat if you let it.
With F.E.A.R., you have two choices.
Forget Everything And Run
Face Everything And RISE
In every area of our lives we have a choice. We can decide if we let fear cripple us, hold us back or negatively affect the outcome of good possibilities. But you have a choice to face it and rise. Below are a few steps I have used to help work through fear.
STEP 1 The first step is to be mindful of your feelings and emotions. You need to be aware when feelings of fear come in; recognize the signs. The quicker you can detect these feelings, the easier it will be releasing them.
STEP 2 Step two is finding a way to release the fear. I would love to say there is a one-size-fits-all solution, but I have not found one. You know you; it is important for you to try different techniques until you find what works best for you.
PRAYER: Prayer is something I find brings me peace and helps me to let go of fear. If you can turn it over to God and trust in him, he will take care of it and bring you peace. (download my TURN WORRY INTO PRAYER worksheet).
MOVEMENT: For some people, movement helps the best. This may be going to an exercise class, taking a walk, going for a run, or yoga to help your mind to release the fear.
WRITING: If you enjoy writing, this may be for you. Write your thoughts that are causing fear to help you work through them. If this is your release, I would also recommend ending this writing session with positive thoughts. Write things you are thankful for, things that have made you laugh, or a good memory that makes you feel warm inside, don’t end on a negative note, always end positive.
MUSIC: For the music lovers, this may be the path from fear to your happy and peaceful place. When I was young, my mom always played gospel music on Sunday morning. I have found when I feel anxious or fearful, if I listen to some of this music it takes me to a place where I feel safe and this helps to take that fear away.
STEP 3 Remind yourself to live in the NOW. Many times when fear starts to show its ugly head, I start thinking of the ‘what if’ scenarios. ‘What if’ something bad happens today, tomorrow or in the future? My mind can go crazy, but I have the choice to stop it. We never know what the future will hold, we just have to face it as it unfolds. In trying to plan my future, I always focus on good and what positive things I want to happen and if something negative happens instead, I just take it one step at a time.
STEP 4 Get curious about your fear. When we are curious, we enter a childlike state of wonder. We allow ourselves to explore and break down our fear into smaller pieces that we can debunk, re-frame or understand the root cause. By breaking down our fear with curiosity, we loosen its grip on our lives.
Each of us needs to find what works best for us. I am sure there are many steps or techniques, the ones listed above are ones I have done, as well as family and friends. I encourage you to raise your awareness of your feelings so when fear starts, you can use your ideal release method to bring you back to a peaceful, happy place and not let fear take over.
Be aware of your emotions, know the signs, and find your release from fear. This is a good practice to help you on the road to peace and happiness. # iChoosePeace # iChooseHappy
Sending peace, love and joy to you, my friend. Sam
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