I want you to take a long, deep breath – and exhale slowly.
Then do it again.
Because today we’re going to talk about fear.
And the first step to overcoming fear is simply to breathe.
More than ever, it’s important to breathe calmly… think rationally… and remember that even though you can’t control the events that happen in your life, you CAN control your response to them.
Acknowledge the Fear
By stopping to notice any fear you’re experiencing, you can start to put some distance between yourself and the object of your fear.
Instead of telling yourself “I am afraid,” say, “I am feeling fear.”
Feel the fear, Don’t fight the fear.
Doing so tends to have a counterintuitive result, i.e. you experience more fear.
Instead, sit with the discomfort.
Try to actively think of something that scares you and feel the fear. Believe it or not, this can help the fear to begin to subside.
Stop Imagining the Negative Outcome
When you sit with your fears, it’s important to imagine better outcomes than you normally would.
Usually, when we feel fear, we tend to catastrophize everything, but this is an irrational approach that does you no good.
Instead, imagine the more likely positive outcome.
Use Mindfulness
Bringing your mind back to the present moment is called mindfulness, and it’s a powerful tool to have in your arsenal.
Focus on your breath.
When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath. Your mind will wander many times and that’s OK. Just return to your breath every time.
It’s not how many times you get knocked down that counts, but how many times you get back up.