I used to have panic attacks until I learned to switch off fear and anxiety, and trust in my own power to change things. I know what it is to be caught up in fear, and to feel powerless, so I want to share some basic truths about fear that I wish someone had shared with me when I was younger, and saved me years of inner misery. ....
When we focus our attention on the past or on the future, we become anxious and fearful.
Worry and fear make us feel less powerful than we really are, and because they throw us out of balance, we are less able to see things clearly and to recognise the opportunities and possibilities that always exist in our current experience.
The more we worry or are afraid, the more negative energy we create around us, preventing positive energy from bringing more good things into our lives.
Worry and Fear do NOT serve us. They do not empower us in any way. Instead, they pull our energies away from This Moment, our Point of Power.
Our only Point of Power is now; the only time we can ever use our Power and make things happen is NOW, in the present moment.
Worry and Fear are learned habits, developed over time for various reasons, including:
- Negative, unsafe or fearful influences in our early or later environments
- Criticism from important others, including those who believed that their criticism was helpful, or did not realise that we learn better from encouragement and positive guidance
- An innate disposition to anxiety and negativity. Some of us are simply born with more anxious or gloomy personalities, while others are born with an innate tendency to happiness, optimism and trustfulness
- The brain's default patterns (patterns of thought and impression that the brain falls into when it is not focused on anything in particular). Neuroscientists describe these default patterns as tending to negativity, judgmentalism, worst-possible scenario thinking, and self-criticism. Through mindfulness training, we can learn to catch such thoughts and impressions as they arise, and turn them around
- Negative, limiting beliefs and world view, such as, 'Women are not as smart as men,' 'Human nature is fundamentally selfish,' 'Life is meaningless,' 'I am not worthy of love, praise, success etc."
- (This one is very important) Lack of personal consistency and integrity. In other words, trying to navigate your way through life without strong inner guidelines and values.
Because Habits are learned behaviours, they can, with effort and persistence, be un-learned. We can learn to limit their hold on our thinking, and return to the Spacious Now.
Following are some suggestions that helped me to retrain my mind to greater calm, confidence, and out of negativity and fear.
10 11 Ways to free yourself from Anxiety and Fear
1. Be honest with yourself - acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses.
2. Always tell the truth, and keep every promise that you make.
3. Give everything your best. No one should expect more than that, even you.
4. Accept that you will make mistakes. When you recognise that you have been mistaken, admit it, apologise, do what you can to correct it, if anything, and move on.
5. Do not judge others. You have no idea what soul journey they are here for.
6. Recognise that others' opinions of you are their concern, not yours.
7. Know what YOU really believe in and value, and be true to that.
8. Communicate your values and ideals, but never try to impose them on others.
9. Recognise that fear is always limiting, and attracts more fear.
10. Always look for, and focus on the good in every situation and others.
...... and because it had such a powerful, transformative effect on me, I must add this:
