Fear, or not.
Fear has its way to make us paralyze and suffer.
Many of our problems are rooted in fear... and most of the times, we don't even realize it.
We think we're angry, we're upset, we're sad... but the truth is that deep inside, we're just scared.
We're scared things won't go our way, we're scared of losing something or someone, we're scared of getting hurt.
Fear is a truly tricky thing. And I've had to learn this "por las malas". Although it is impossible to live without fear, there are ways to use this energy to create some goodness in our lives.
Here are different tips to help you deal with fear in a more conscious, productive way:
Breathe from your belly. When we’re scared, we tend to breathe shallowly from our chest. But focusing our attention on our breath, and slowing it down, can help us ground ourselves in the safety of the present moment and calm our fear response and anxiety.
Spend time with people you love. Our brains are social organs. Our need to connect with other people is even more important than our need for food or shelter. By simply calling a loved one, or spending time in their company, our parasympathetic nervous system can initiate and return our body to a state of calm. No one should be alone when they’re scared.
Practice Mindfulness. Sit with your fear and try to understand where it’s coming from without judging yourself. When we sit with our fears without reacting to them, we develop an inner resilience that silences them over time. Understand it, embrace it, and let it fade.
Give it a name. Instead of trying to ignore it, once you’ve understood where it’s coming from, give it a name. This will not only help you identify it, but it’ll make you recognize it faster and take away its power from you.
Think of all you’ve overcome throughout the years. We tend to forget how badass we are. We go through so much, and yet fail to see this awesomeness inside of us that has helped us conquer every obstacle. By saying to ourselves “I’ve done this before,” or even “I’ve been through worse,” we can reassure ourselves that we can.
Visualize success. The enemy of fear is confidence. Confidence that you can get through anything. That you have all it takes to do so and that you deserve a happy outcome. When fear pops up in your mind, sit down and visualize yourself successfully overcoming whatever situation that is bothering you. Have faith that things will happen for your greatest good, and they eventually will.
Although we all wish we had a magic wand that could take fear away from us, there isn’t. But there are many ways to reclaim our power and take it away from it. Find whatever works for you, and hopefully these help a little. It will always be okay in the end. Trust.
