I have an appointment later today and, I must admit, I'm afraid to go. Fear is a terrible, crippling emotion. It can eat us up alive. Even though we know that things rarely, if ever, turn out as bad as we think they will, we continue to fret over the "what if's" in life. Most of the time, I can handle the stress OK, but every now and again, the fear takes over and I become a blob of green goo, unable to function or think clearly.
Why do we become afrain and what can we do to overcome it? These were my questions this morning. I did a little research on the subject and here's what I learned.
Emotions have a powerful effect on the mind and fear, considered a strong survival instinct, is particularly potent. The instinct of fear is held primary in our amygdala, a small almond-shaped structure that's centered deep within the brain. The amygdala is essential for our ability to feel certain emotion, as well as to sense them in others. I'm sorry to say, but my fear-center has gone haywire these past few days and I need to get it back in balance. For those of you who've known real fear, I don't have to tell you that a life lived in fear isn't a good one.
But fear can be overcome. It just doesn't happen overnight. And when we overcome fear, we grow and become a better tronger version of ourselves. We learn that it's OK to expand our possibilities which, in turn, gives us more options for a better happier life.
Lots of frogs, and people too I suspect, like to "play it safe," which limits the amounf of happiness that we can experience. We must learn to step out of our comfort zone and take a change. And it's those chances that will often bring us our greatest joys and rewards. Everyone has tips that they can offer us to overcome fear, but I've these three that are pretty effective for me.
1, Develop accurate perception. This is not easy for many of us but with time, and patience, we can learn to view any person or situation with more objectivity and with an open mind. That starts with with being honest with yourself about what you're really afraid of. Put your emotions aside and see that fearful thing from a new perspective; independent from your feelings. This means seeing the situation/person/event in a clearer, more accurate way. When we look at things without the fear, we can see the situation honestly. We can see what is actually at stake and then make the decision that is best for us.
2. Believe in yourself. The best way to overcome fear is to believe that you can do it. I recently read that "Doubt is like cancer. It feeds on all the happy, positive thoughts you may have. Nothing kills a dream faster than doubt." Boy Howdy! This is so true! It becomes a lot easier to take a risk if you can believe that you can achieve your goals.
3. Surrender the outcome. What usually causes people the most fear is fear of the unknown...fear of the outcome. Just like me, with my appointment tomorrow. I am scared of what might happen. But none of us, frog or human, can predict with certainty what the future holds in store. And therein lies the beauty of life...with all its glorious (and often scary) twists and turns. The biggest reason we all want to know what the future will bring, is knowing that we'll be OK. And even though we don't know for certain what the future will bring, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll be alright and that we'll land on four flippers...or feet. We all have what we need, at any given moment. We may not always get what what we want...and that can be a blessing. But we will always get what we need; what is right for us at that time.
Life has an interesting way of working out. We all start off as tiny acorns (or tadpoles) but then we grow into beautiful, mature oak trees (or frogs). And our job is to give the best we can in every moment. Plant the seed, water the seed, then stand by and watch it grow! Fear and risk are a part of everyday life. And fear only becomes real when we believe it is.
I am reminded of a childhood story about the little engine that could. This little train engine was determined to pull a trainload of toys to waiting children who lived on a mountainside. A big engine might have said, "I can't do that. It's too scary and the hill is too high!" But not the little engine. He successfully over came his fear and brought the toys to all the happy children. How did he do it? By telling himself, over and over, until he believed it, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can,"
And that's exactly what I'll do with my appointment. I know that I can go and that whatever happens, it'll be for the best. Why? Because just like that little engine, I'm the little frog who thinks I can.
Why do we become afrain and what can we do to overcome it? These were my questions this morning. I did a little research on the subject and here's what I learned.
Emotions have a powerful effect on the mind and fear, considered a strong survival instinct, is particularly potent. The instinct of fear is held primary in our amygdala, a small almond-shaped structure that's centered deep within the brain. The amygdala is essential for our ability to feel certain emotion, as well as to sense them in others. I'm sorry to say, but my fear-center has gone haywire these past few days and I need to get it back in balance. For those of you who've known real fear, I don't have to tell you that a life lived in fear isn't a good one.
But fear can be overcome. It just doesn't happen overnight. And when we overcome fear, we grow and become a better tronger version of ourselves. We learn that it's OK to expand our possibilities which, in turn, gives us more options for a better happier life.
Lots of frogs, and people too I suspect, like to "play it safe," which limits the amounf of happiness that we can experience. We must learn to step out of our comfort zone and take a change. And it's those chances that will often bring us our greatest joys and rewards. Everyone has tips that they can offer us to overcome fear, but I've these three that are pretty effective for me.
1, Develop accurate perception. This is not easy for many of us but with time, and patience, we can learn to view any person or situation with more objectivity and with an open mind. That starts with with being honest with yourself about what you're really afraid of. Put your emotions aside and see that fearful thing from a new perspective; independent from your feelings. This means seeing the situation/person/event in a clearer, more accurate way. When we look at things without the fear, we can see the situation honestly. We can see what is actually at stake and then make the decision that is best for us.
2. Believe in yourself. The best way to overcome fear is to believe that you can do it. I recently read that "Doubt is like cancer. It feeds on all the happy, positive thoughts you may have. Nothing kills a dream faster than doubt." Boy Howdy! This is so true! It becomes a lot easier to take a risk if you can believe that you can achieve your goals.
3. Surrender the outcome. What usually causes people the most fear is fear of the unknown...fear of the outcome. Just like me, with my appointment tomorrow. I am scared of what might happen. But none of us, frog or human, can predict with certainty what the future holds in store. And therein lies the beauty of life...with all its glorious (and often scary) twists and turns. The biggest reason we all want to know what the future will bring, is knowing that we'll be OK. And even though we don't know for certain what the future will bring, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll be alright and that we'll land on four flippers...or feet. We all have what we need, at any given moment. We may not always get what what we want...and that can be a blessing. But we will always get what we need; what is right for us at that time.
Life has an interesting way of working out. We all start off as tiny acorns (or tadpoles) but then we grow into beautiful, mature oak trees (or frogs). And our job is to give the best we can in every moment. Plant the seed, water the seed, then stand by and watch it grow! Fear and risk are a part of everyday life. And fear only becomes real when we believe it is.
I am reminded of a childhood story about the little engine that could. This little train engine was determined to pull a trainload of toys to waiting children who lived on a mountainside. A big engine might have said, "I can't do that. It's too scary and the hill is too high!" But not the little engine. He successfully over came his fear and brought the toys to all the happy children. How did he do it? By telling himself, over and over, until he believed it, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can,"
And that's exactly what I'll do with my appointment. I know that I can go and that whatever happens, it'll be for the best. Why? Because just like that little engine, I'm the little frog who thinks I can.
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