Fear Takes Over

No Limits | The Freedom Blog™

Fear Takes Over

Written by Steven Griggs | stevengriggs.com

"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."
Marcus Aurelius

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."
Dale Carnegie

Lately I have been dealing with situations that have caused a lot of fear to rise up in me.

I’m aware of what’s happening. I understand how it works. But that has not stopped me from experiencing it. Somewhere along the line I forgot what I knew to be true.  
I became Fearful.

So I watched myself become overwhelmed by it. I saw the way it enveloped my mind in darkness. How it distorted my vision by having my mind focus on the most negative of outcomes and possibilities.

I watched as my mind became paralyzed and numb.

Then I realized that I was watching myself too much, that this experience was beginning to become more than a lesson. It was becoming all consuming.

I could feel my body being attacked. My health was being affected.

I realized enough was enough.

So what did I do?

I sat down and had a talk with myself. Since the issues I was dealing with were financial, I realized that I was thinking too much. I was regurgitating and retelling a negative story over and over in my mind.

I’d forgotten that 80% of the things we worry about don’t happen and the 20% that do don’t turn out as bad as you thought.

I’d also forgotten that none of this really matters.

I’d sought out legal advice and acted on that advice. That was enough. That was all I could do.

After I realized that.... I went camping.

No cell, no contact and no thinking about business, just me in the woods. And it was interesting- it rained, sleeted, hailed and snowed the entire 4 days I was out there.

But I stayed. And I loved it. It brought me back to what’s real.

All fear is internal. It never comes from the outside, unless you are physically threatened.

What I remembered is:

1.       Fear is not real, fear only exists within you. Acknowledge that feeling fearful is  simply a response to not knowing what’s coming. Accept that you can’t know.

2.      Believe in yourself and know that you have the ability to handle anything that comes at you. There is no good or bad outcome, you will just respond to next set of circumstances.

3.      Acceptance. What it is, it is. Accept it and make a new plan. If you’ve done your best and taken action, let go and get ready for the next step.

Stay present. Try to divert your mind through physical activity- hiking, biking, swimming. Meditate whenever possible.

Don’t allow a fear takeover.

stevengriggs.com