The One Mental Shift That Neutralizes Fear [Article]
Fear is a Belief
As I write this, we are collectively experiencing the most uncertain time in our lives. Things are not normal. Things are highly unstable in our world, and our minds are reflecting that instability. Yes, there is real suffering. And still, most of us are not actually in pain.
It feels important now for us to recognize that much of the greatest suffering we experience is actually caused by fear.
Fear, by definition, is the result of a belief that something may cause pain. It is the perceived threat of something possibly happening in the future. Let that sink in: Most of our suffering comes from a belief.
Actually, this is good news. If a large part of our suffering comes from the mind, then by changing the mind, we can reduce this suffering.
The Antidote of Fear is Gratitude
One of the major problems with fear is that it prevents us from seeing what we already have. When feeling fear, we are so focused on the potential of a future threat, that we do not see what is right in front of us.
And so, the best way to neutralize the emotion of fear is by appreciating what we have right now.
Be happy with what you have!
What can you be grateful for right now? Take some inventory. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Do you have a roof over your head?
Do you have food in the kitchen?
Do you have toilet paper in the bathroom? (I bet you do, whether you hoarded it or not ;)
Do you have the internet and movies and books and delivery at your fingertips?
Are you spending extra time at home with loved ones?
Are you feeling love and care from others?
Is your heart beating and are your cells vibrating with life?
Might there be any benefit to shaking things up—in society, in our day-to-day lives?
Is there a positive shift or reassessment in our priorities?
Are there amazing people working tirelessly and unselfishly to protect our safety and wellbeing?
Yes!
And a million other things (like your children’s smiles…. or the passion and energy of their fits when they can’t play with their friends ;)
Go find out for yourself how hard it is to feel fear in the same moment as feeling gratitude!
See What is There, Not What is Not There
In each moment, the more present we are to what is right in front of us, the less chance fear has of taking over. Remember, fear is about a future potentiality, not about something we are experiencing right now. So practice present moment awareness.
We will find that there are far more things to be grateful for then there are things to be afraid of. Yes! This is true even in the strangest, most unstable time in our entire lives. There is still more to be grateful for than not.
Action is Empowering
This is not to say that there are not real threats in the world. Of course there are.
This is not to encourage one to be like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand and ignoring the reality of the situation. No, not at all.
Rather, this is a call to taking control of our minds and bodies and taking clear action.
Once we’ve cultivated gratitude and fear is less acute, we have an opportunity to accurately assess the circumstances. Acknowledge the situation you find yourself in. What is the best conscious response to the situation?
It is definitely important to respect our circumstances, but do not mistake fear for respect. Respect is empowering; it guides potent action. Fear is paralyzing; it robs us of our agency.
From Mental to Physical
Cultivating gratitude and present moment awareness is how we train our mind to experience less fear and more clarity.
But fear, like all emotions, also lives in the body. It lives in the nervous system. Therefore, by changing our nervous system, we can eliminate the residue of fear, and become more resilient to it.
How do we shift our nervous system? Through exhaling. (Can I get a long sigh, please?? JK, kinda.)
When we lengthen our exhale, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system. And we when we add a tone to that (chanting, humming), we exercise the very nerve that governs our relaxation response as well as our emotional intelligence. (I’ll link to my short video about this practice below.)
Take Control
Just know that while you cannot 100% control your external circumstances, you do have far more control over your inner world than you probably exercise.
Train your mind.
Train your nervous system.
The result is not only less fear, but a clear head, an open heart, and the domino effect those things create in our external life.
“Neutralize fear—cultivate gratitude for what you have.”
Link to video:
https://www.facebook.com/TibetanHealingMovement/videos/551015668855007/