My friend Karen posted this on Facebook recently: “Fear knocked on the door. Love answered. No one was there.” Although I’m not a big Bible reader, I remember a passage similar to Karen’s post about perfect love casting out all fear.
When I’m afraid, I do three things:
- focus on my breathing, noticing each long inhale and each longer exhale,
- question the thoughts that have got me frightened – can I be absolutely sure the plane’s going to go down, there will never be enough money, people will think I’m an idiot for making this choice, etc.?, and
- focus on someone or something I love, eliciting the sensations by remembering the sounds, taste, touch, smell and sight of the person, place or thing so that I’m truly in a state of appreciation.
When I breathe deeply, I become calmer. From that calmer place, I can examine the thinking that created the fear. And, when I remember love, fear doesn’t stand a chance.
When you’re in a state of F.E.A.R. (i.e., False Evidence Appearing Real), breathe deeply, ask questions, focus on love, and see if things don’t get better for you, too.
