Four Creative Strategies For Handling Fear
You are not afraid of the dark, you are afraid of the light.
It’s take more than a psychological approach to manage fear. Yes it will take shifting limited beliefs but what do you do when fear takes over your nervous system and says, “I can’t do this“?
Yes, you can.
When your mind starts to go in detail as to how you will accomplish your creative goals that’s when fear tends to lurk.
Most of our fear comes from thinking about how the future may turn out based on past experiences shutting down opportunities right under our nose.
If you change your perspective on fear, are okay with uncertainty, more driven towards what you desire and learn to dance with fear you’ll be able to handle it with more ease.
Heres is are my four creative strategies for handling fear:
1. Understand What You Are Truly Afraid Of
When one wills with love, one sets a powerful intention.
“There is no power without love and love without power. “ - Martin Luther King Jr.
The love I’m speaking of is not the touchy feely marketing term to sell things, I’m speaking of that source of life that both inspires us and scares the hell out of us.
Love is not just a feeling when we get what we want but a state of awareness that changes how we see the world.
When we set an intention, we are sending energy across the ethers that travels at the speed of light returning opportunities to realize that intention in the physical world.
The problem arrives when we receive the opportunity, we view it from a dirty lens or doubts.
“I can’t do that, I have no money.” Or, “I can’t start this, I have no experience.” Or my favorite, “I need to be realistic.”
Fear comes in programmed thought forms and can also hide at the basis of our intention.
When we are in fear, we are fearing the life of your dreams, not the life of our nightmares.
When we are in-tending our life with love and light it is impossible to be in fear. When we are in the receiving of love and light, it is impossible to be in fear.
When we see fear for what it is, a response to what you don’t want to happen, we can then shift our focus to what we want to happen.
The reason we are afraid of the life we want is because of the uncertainty it brings.
2. Be Certain About Uncertainty
People are afraid to lose more than they gain in psychology terms because they rather not lose what they have versus gain what they don’t have.
Think about all things you are afraid of. Which ones are familiar versus which ones are unfamiliar?
The scariest ones are those unfamiliar. Thats why people settle, that why people don’t go for what they truly want.
What happened when I stepped into uncertainty:
Moved to away from home in 2008. —> Within a couple of years I had graduated college and started my dream job.
Quit my full-time job. —> I haven’t had a regular job for five years and have more time to pursue all my passions.
Slow traveled to Colombia. —> I had the time of my life and now here in Mexico on another journey.
Started a podcast. —> The podcast resulted in income for 24 months.
I can go on and on about all the good things that happen when I stepped into uncertainty but there are more examples of when I did not step into uncertainty.
Slowing down thoughts, gaining insights, setting intentions and declaring a new vision is what will give you amo-r for handling fear.
3. Realigning and Declaring a New Vision (and Going After It Relentlessly)
Transformation is a part of the journey but not the whole journey. Transformation is usually the end of your current story.
Returning home, gaining insight and preparing for the next journey is where we mostly get stuck.
This takes slowing down all thought, introspection, insight and setting new intentions.
If you are still reading this I’ll assume this is not your first rodeo. You have done some healing work already, carry the wisdom of life experience but in a season of doubt.
Tips to accelerate this realignment process:
Write in a journal heavily.
Do meditations and express yourself creatively.
Be in nature everyday, even if it’s taking a walk and getting sun.
Focus on the “what” and “why” you want things more than the how.
Be in a support group that feeds you mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
When we start to tend our garden of life, we gain momentum and step into our power.
The new life you’re calling in starts attracting opportunities that bring up fears we feel in our body.
4. Dancing With Fear
If we can learn how to be in the presence of fear, hold hands with it, talk to it, breathe into it and yes even dance with it, we can lead it.
How to take the lead with fear:
Breathe into it by taking 10 deep breathes. It’s simple but powerful. If you feel more calm than you won (Thanks Rachael Ferrera for this gift).
Hold fear in your mind by Fear-Setting instead of goal setting (Tim Ferris blog on Fear-Setting). In a nutshell, write down all of what you are afraid of and why, then come up with a solution to each fear.
Meditate on what you want more than what you don’t want. I’d recommend Joe Dispenza or Abraham Hicks but there are many others. “If you can hold it in your mind, you can hold it in your hand.”
Literally start dancing and laughing when fear comes up. Whenever a repeated fear comes up, redefine the meaning and dance like Mufasa on Friday. LFG!!!
Notice what triggers you and how it feels. This is after you take those 10 deep breaths and start to calm down. Ask yourself, what are you feeling in your body? Tightness in your chest? Heaviness on your shoulders? A burning sensation in stomach? Here are videos from Capacitar International (English and Spanish) to get started on your journey.
Not important to do each step in order but doing all of these steps are powerful.
Conclusion:
In summary:
1) Knowing you are afraid of the light not the darkness is useful because fear becomes something you face instead of avoiding.
2) Get comfortable with uncertainty, uncertainty is life.
3) Create space for insight, vision and clarity.
4) Dance with fear because it is a part of the journey.
Know someone who could use a pep talk on fear? Bet this is “your bestie” or “your brother” who can use this.