How to control fear before it controls you
Fear is normal. In fact, it can protect us from danger. But it’s also insidious: it can wrap itself around us, infecting our thoughts and emotions to ensure we don’t take risks and we stay alive. Real or imagined, fear can take us further into the fight, flight or freeze animal responses. It can then paralyze and debilitate us.
Fear and the days we live in
With mounting concerns around COVID19 (coronavirus disease 2019), fear is an emotion felt by many. “Am I safe?”, “Are my loved ones safe?”, “Where do I get all the supplies I need to keep going?”, “Do we stay or do we go?”, and more. Day in and day out, many of us are immersed in varying levels of fear, which if left unchecked, can lead to terror, according to Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions.
Transforming fear into a resource
Here are five practical tips that can enable greater emotional wisdom and resourcefulness, and reduced fear.
- Your Trust Jar
Write down your fears whenever they arise and place them in your Trust Jar. This labeling technique can help you download our negative emotions, thus dampening your limbic brain and amygdala responsible for our fight, flight and freeze responses.
- Smudging and energizing yourself and your home sanctuary
Smudging is the ancient art of using herbs to combat and clear our energy fields, which can impact our mental, emotional and physical states. By cleansing out old and unwanted energy, it allows new and fresh energy in. Herbs like White Sage, Blue Sage, Palo Santo, Yerba Santa, Cedar and other traditional medicinal herbs are known for having antimicrobial and antibacterial healing properties, so they’re wonderful for clearing your fear energy, lifting your spirits, and supporting your environment.
Crystals and aromatherapy oils are also excellent resources to clear the negative energy, raise your vibration and cleanse the environment. Protective stones include Black Tourmaline, Black Obsidian, Shungite; love stones inviting love to replace fear include Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, and Rhodochrosite. Aromatherapy oils with antiviral properties include Oregano, Pine, Eucalyptus globulus/ radiata, Lemon, Rosemary and Tea Tree (pay attention to using Tea Tree around animals).
- Bach Flower Remedies
When fear for the health and wellbeing of our loved ones becomes exhausting, leaving us vulnerable, pessimistic and anxious, consider Red Chestnut. This Bach Flower Remedy can help you feel more positive, secure and trusting so you release your fear.
- Prayers and Affirmations
The book ‘Letting the Divine Take the Lead’ by Tosha Silver is a delightful reminder that we can cultivate positive thinking through trusting the Divine, and working with uplifting and positive affirmations. We say goodbye to fear and bring the Divine to support us.
- Reach out to your Support System
Loneliness invites more fear and pessimism, while connections can lift your spirit and be a game changer. In times of turbulence, uncertainty and despair, a community can hold you, remind you of who you are, what your purpose is, and put your problems into perspective. We hold hands, we share hearts, and we heal together. You can read more about community here.
Have you reached out to your support system? You may wish to connect with the Be Love Community where 21 practitioners join together to offer the “21 Days of Love” FB series. Here we shared exercises, programs, and inspiration to keep us all grounded and centered in a space of love. #beloveHK FB Group, 21 Days of Love
To complete on this very special blog, here is a promise to share. A promise from late Christian D. Larson, a renown American New Thought leader and teacher, which is my promise to you and hopefully yours to others too.
“ I promise myself…
To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.”
Reframe fear, make it your fuel for change, and a resource in challenging times.
Wishing everyone strength, safety, and good health.
Cristina Rodenbeck
Manipula Wellness Practice
Photo from Pixabay