Fear: Quick Tips
Chances are you have been experiencing fear. Here is a brief overview on how to walk with these feelings, as they continue to emerge.
ACKNOWLEDGE
All emotion is neutral, including fear. Fear is simply communicating that something does not feel ok. It seeks to protect us from a perceived threat. Our job is to identify if that protection is warranted, and from that place, identify supportive action steps.
IDENTIFY
Define your fear as specifically as possible. Most fears are rooted in core needs, like safety, freedom and powerlessness. I’ve developed an easy system, called the Core Story Patterns (more on that later) to help you do this. Where are you most triggered? What, SPECIFICALLY, is creating your fear?
NAVIGATE
We all have fear. The goal is not to eliminate fear, as that is unlikely. The goal is to learn how to better navigate or walk with your fear.
Navigation tools include:
Creating boundaries with people and information that sap your energy.
Reflect on the actual fear and possible management strategies/solutions (What, if any, action can I take in this situation? Is there a hard conversation I need to have? What does it trigger if I surrender into acceptance of this situation?)
Breathe: breathing exercises that ground the nervous system.
Visualize and affirm best case scenarios: this helps to reprogram the brain on a physiological level.
Break it down. Take manageable baby steps toward the fear, or towards any potential solutions.