Back in early human history, fear was largely a survival mechanism. If a predator was near, the fear would alert your adrenal glands to pump you full of adrenaline and prepare you for fight or flight. Today, however, dealing with irrational fears is much more common than dealing with survival fears.
As civilization has evolved, life has become less dangerous for humans, and for the average citizen of the industrialized world, there are far fewer day-to-day immediate threats. Yet, fear has endured over time.
Instead of fearing lions and tigers and bears on a daily basis, we have become conditioned to fear other things like losing our jobs, being reprimanded by our bosses and public speaking. Fight or flight, in these situations, simply doesn’t make any sense, yet we still find ourselves panicked from our physiological fear response.
When our fears aren’t in response to actual, immediate dangers, we are dealing with irrational fears. Left unchecked, irrational fear can fester and turn into anxiety and then we’ve got a problem on our hands. This is because our thoughts create our realities with the Law of Attraction. When our irrational fears run amuck, our negative emotions begin to create a reality we don’t really want.
The good news is that subconsciously, we all usually “know” that everything is going to be ok, and this is why fears generally don’t manifest into the worst possible scenarios. However, even if the worst outcome doesn’t come to pass, unchecked irrational fears will still bring you other things that make you anxious because you are a vibrational match to a certain level of fear and anxiety. Therefore, it’s highly beneficial to learn to transform irrational fears into more positive expectations.
If you feel that some of your irrational fears might be keeping you from reaching your fullest potential, here are a few steps you can take to transform them when you feel them coming on. For best results, please practice these steps in their exact order, giving your full attention to each one without rushing.
Dealing With Irrational Fears
1. Breathe:
Often, we go immediately into panic mode when fear first hits, and we start to worry about every little thing that could go wrong. Suddenly, the brief email from the boss has us fearing that we are going to get in trouble, possibly lose our job or maybe even worry that we won’t be able to pay our mortgage.
When you feel a negative thought spiral like this coming on, STOP and breathe calmly and slowly for at least a minute. Once your heart rate has slowed down and stabilized, move on to step two.
2. Use Your Logic:
Logic, when used appropriately, can help rescue you from fatalistic, fearful thinking.
For example, have you ever been awake at night, unable to sleep and the more you think about not sleeping the more you toss and turn and find that you are unable to sleep? This is an example of how a small, non life-threatening fear (the fear of not being well-rested the next day) can turn into low level anxiety which results in a self-fulfilling prophecy (being unable to sleep).
Instead of fixating on the fear of not being able to sleep, you can find some comfort in using logic instead. Remind yourself of the billions of people who are sleeping around the world at that very moment, and how (statistically speaking) it is very likely for you to be able to sleep on any given night. Then remind yourself of the countless nights that you have slept with ease over the course of your life.
Use logic to quiet the fearful, anxious mind. Whenever you can, think in terms of statistics because the odds are really, really good that everything is going to be ok. It’s highly unlikely that the noise you hear is a serial killer sneaking around in your house, and it’s highly unlikely that the Ebola virus is going to “get you.” Keep thinking in terms of statistics and probability until you start to feel a bit more rational about the situation.
3. Finish with the best-case scenarios:
Once you feel the fear start to subside from the breathing and logic exercises, it’s time to finish up with the “best-case scenarios.” In your mind, visualize how this seemingly fearful situation could play out in a few really great ways.
For example, if your boss has called you to come in early tomorrow for a one-on-one meeting, instead of playing the doom and gloom game (“Im going to get fired!”), calm yourself with the first two steps and then imagine a few really good outcomes (“Maybe I’m getting a promotion!” “Maybe they’re giving me a better office!” or “Maybe she wants to pat me on the back for a job well done!”).
Dare to dream a little, and let your imagination run wild. Come up with as many good outcomes as you can, and put some effort into visualizing them actually coming true.
If you can amp yourself up for the possibility of a positive outcome, not only will you quell your fear, but you will also improve the final results of the situation you are in. The universe responds to your emotions and thoughts, and the Law of Attraction brings you what you are vibrationally putting out there with your energy. Transforming fear gradually into hopeful expectation is a great way to manifest more of what you want in life.
These three steps can help to stop unnecessary fears from festering and getting out of control. So the next time you feel a panic start to set in, slowly convert that irrational, fearful energy into hopeful thoughts and ideas. Again, follow these steps in the prescribed order for best results.
Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep repeating this process each time you experience an irrational fear. Over time, transforming irrational thinking can become an automatic process that you can be highly skilled at. Not only will you feel calmer and less anxious on any given day, but the reality you will create will be much more aligned to the one that you really want to have.
Did you like this strategy for dealing with irrational fears? Find more information on how to transform negative emotions on my blog or Facebook page! You can also find me on Twitter (@Vibration1111) or Instagram (@andrea.11.11).
Please note: This strategy for dealing with irrational fears is not intended to be a replacement for medical or psychiatric care. If you have a psychiatric disorder that causes extreme irrational fear or anxiety, please consult a mental health professional for additional support.
Photo by Frank Kovalchek. Some Rights Reserved. This image has been cropped and resized.
