We are wired for fear. And it’s a good thing we are.
From an evolutionary standpoint, fear grabs our attention so we choose to get the heck out of Dodge when there’s a predator nearby. Fear is the fuel that sends you through a wall of flames in a burning building to outside safety. It is the alert you need that makes you decide not to go down that dark alley.
Panic is an altogether different energy. And it’s never resourceful. Panic happens when our systems get overloaded with so much fear information that our circuits fizz. Then we lose all of the positive things that fear is meant to do for us:
> Fear sharpens our senses. Panic overwhelms them.
> Fear focuses the mind. Panic dulls it.
> Fear can activate the body to fight a situation, or flee it. Panic swamps the body and prevents it from taking action.
There is no question that, in this moment of US history, many people are living somewhere between the energy of fear and the energy of panic. Even those who are keeping their fear/panic at bay through denial are still living with the energy of fear. And panic.
And that’s a hard place to be.
No matter what you are trying to accomplish in the world today – whether it’s giving a speech, winning an audition, or just trying to get through the day – it’s made harder when our bodies, brains and energy systems are on high alert.
Try This! 1. If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed with fear, make a head sandwich with your hands. Put one hand on your forehead, and the other at the back of your head, just above your neck. You can do this sitting, standing, or lying down. Stay there as long as you can – the longer you can manage the pose, the calmer you will feel. 2. Another thing to try is to change your breathing. Inhale on the count of four, immediately exhale on the count of four, and then hold no air in your lungs for two counts. Repeat. By about the fifth time through, you will feel a noticeable difference. |
Harness the Energy Around You!
Here are some strategies for helping your body/brain/spirit calm down, whether your anxiety is generalized or specific to a certain situation.
1. Don’t let other people’s fears hitchhike in your energy. Remember that energy is contagious.
Past issues of LightLifting discuss how to brush off energy that isn’t yours, and how to calm a frantic mind. These days, these exercises are as important as taking a shower. Do them daily! Your own fear is enough to handle, without soaking up what belongs to others.
2. Remember that fear is trying to help you. So when you feel fearful, stop and thank your body’s energy systems for alerting you to something it thinks is dangerous. Do it out loud, even. You may be surprised to feel the fear back off once you simply acknowledge it.
3. Know the difference between feeling fear in a situation you can control, and a situation you cannot control. We evolved to attune to fear precisely so we could avoid danger. There is no avoiding what is going on in the economy right now.
Tell your subconscious – talk to it directly, and out loud – that you don’t want or need fear signals about what you cannot change. Then tell it you cannot change how the nation’s finances are being dealt with. Your subconscious is built to deliver what you tell it to. You will feel a shift when you tell your subconscious to back down.
4. Give your brain something better to do than worry about what you can’t control. You aren’t living in denial to do this. You’re just letting the body/brain/spirit focus on something that calms and supports your energy. That IS in your control, and it’s worth doing.
The easiest thing for most people to do to is focus on gratitude. So create a gratitude list. Name all the things you are grateful for IN THIS MOMENT. Write them down, if you need to. Read them back if you need to. You cannot hold gratitude and fear simultaneously.
5. If you are someone who is in immediate difficulty – you are behind in the mortgage, your company just went bankrupt, your parents need to move in with you because their retirement dried up overnight, or you just can’t stop the worry – get some help to manage your emotional energy about things.
The quickest, deepest and most effective way to do that, in my experience, is through emotional neuroplasticity work – also called energy psychology. You can learn more about it here. Of the techniques I use with clients, EFTSM and TAT® are free to learn and simple use on your own. I also love BSFF (BeSetFreeFast), but you’ll need to buy a video and/or manual to learn that.
If you get stuck, call me, and I will assist you for up to twenty minutes at no charge. You can also search for an accomplished guide to these techniques on any of the websites we linked to above.
6. Find the things that calm you, that center and ground you. Maybe it’s going for a walk. Maybe it’s taking a warm bath. Do them! Go out of your way to do them! There are also some simple exercises you can do, right now, to get your energy grounded and centered. You will feel the difference.
InVisible Light is dedicated to helping performers of all kinds break through barriers of thought, feeling and behavior which limit their success. We know the most common barriers to your best performance, and we know ways to eliminate them – not just stumble through them. Want to know more? Contact us at:
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