How To Empower Yourself When You Experience Fear
Fear is a dominating force for many people, looming over their heads like a dark cloud. It can trigger survival mode and make you jump to conclusions, becoming a more significant issue than it really is. Fear can also create emotional barriers that prevent you from taking vital risks on your journey.
Finding your power amid fear may seem impossible, especially when hypothetical situations make you question your ability to survive the unknown. For instance, if you’re afraid of losing your job, your mind may conjure up worse-case scenarios, like the following:
- What if I lose my job? Then I won’t be able to pay the rent.
- What if I can’t pay rent? Then I may end up on the streets.
- What if I run out of money? Then I won’t have enough food to eat.
Those thoughts are from the brain’s natural inclination to protect you. However, more often than not, fear blows things out of proportion. There will undoubtedly be challenges as you navigate life, but as long as you regain power over your mind, you can change your circumstances.
When you stop fear in its tracks and work through them, you can take powerful steps toward how you want to be and feel.
It all starts in the mind.
Where does fear come from?
The amygdala is responsible for processing fear. When exposed to something threatening, your brain releases stress hormones to cope with it. You may have experienced this sensation with fight or flight mode, which kicks in to support your survival.
For example, a diagnosis can threaten your survival, making you more susceptible to panic and overwhelm. But what if there was an approach to work through irrational fear — a way to pivot before you reach the point of fight or flight mode? That’s when pausing and reframing comes into play.
How to work through fear
Step 1: Stop. Before the ruminating thoughts begin, stop everything in motion. You may verbalize this or take a moment to recognize what you’re experiencing. If a related idea appears, dismiss it for the time being until you create a safe space to explore it.
Step 2: Breathe. Take some deep breaths to calm your nervous system and reduce tension in your body. Attending to your breath, will allow you to focus on the present and bring peace to your mind.
Step 3: Sit in the fear. Acknowledge your fear and allow any other feelings to come to the surface. You may reflect on what the fear is and what’s causing it. As you experience a flash of emotions, remember your feelings are valid. Whether you’re experiencing anxiety or tension, embrace the bad story and sit with it. The feelings will eventually dissipate and take the charge out of the feelings you are experiencing.
Step 4: Question the validity. Often fear is based on hypothetical situations inspired by real factors in your life. For example, believing a diagnosis is the end of life as you know it. When fear cascades into negative thoughts, reframe the belief and ask if it’s true.
- Is it true that I can’t heal from this sickness?
- Is it true that I can’t enjoy each moment with my family and friends?
- Is it true that I can’t find joy when a disease challenges me?
When you ground yourself in truth, you gain clarity for the fear — uncertainty of the unknown. Then, you can call it out, recognize the reality of the circumstances, and choose how to navigate the next chapter.
Step 5: Provide assurance. Once you’ve reached a state of calm, share words of reassurance. Just like consoling a friend, you can soothe your mind by remembering you’re okay and safe. Remind yourself you’re capable of moving through any situation. Positive affirmations are an excellent exercise for boosting your confidence. It’s also beneficial to give you mind proof of prior success in navigating through a challenging situation.
Step 6: Take action. Determine how you want to manage the situation. How can you reprogram your mind to have a powerful mindset to survive this fear? Here, you can implement a plan for moving forward and how to handle anxiety when it occurs in the future. Setting down concrete steps will also give you the confidence to conquer uncertainty and achieve the life you deserve.
My experience with fear
Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with cancer. For many people, a diagnosis like this can plant seeds of anxiety and stress. So naturally, I experienced fear and concern for the future. I couldn’t predict what would happen next or what direction my recovery would go in. However, I knew exactly what I wanted — to heal.
Before I created a plan, I had to accept my feelings and make peace with the fear. Ignoring a feeling with a powerful presence would only cause barriers on my journey. So I acknowledged my feelings and sat with the fear. From there, I sought peace by turning inward. I practiced meditation and positive affirmations during this time. I often used the following affirmation:
I’m creating powerful, positive, and rapid healing.
After several months, my recovery and good health became evident to doctors. My diagnosis didn’t last forever, and I felt a new sense of reassurance wash over me. My mind played such a significant role in my recovery. As I’ve said to my clients before and something I also live by, we have everything we need within us to heal.
You have power over your mind
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by fear and let it shake you until you spiral. But if you pause, sit in the discomfort, and allow yourself to feel the emotions, they will pass through you.
There are plenty of uncontrollable factors in life. For instance, you can’t control if your doctor shows up promptly or late or how your boss perceives you. But you do have control over your mind. Your ability to think rationally and make decisions is a testament to this. So empower yourself to live the way you want to be and feel.
Fear isn’t a feeling you dismiss once and never expect to see again. It will appear in the future, but when it does, know you have the power to navigate and move through it in a healthy manner.
Is fear causing barriers in your life? Do you require guidance managing it? If so, consider exploring hypnotherapy, a valuable tool for letting go of limiting beliefs and overcoming fears and phobias.
Schedule a virtual session with Mindful Hypnotherapy of San Francisco today! Let’s work through your challenging experiences together.
