Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Facing our fears

Pushing through our fears brings us face to face with our raw, human vulnerability. Its something that's beyond the definition of words, beyond our ability to reason. And yet fears are faced all the time, by all of us.

As a Mama with post-natal depression I feel like I've been facing lots of fears over the last few years and although I still feel panic, and it still feels uncomfortable, I think I've become better at dealing with those feelings.

Some 'mantras' I've been saying to myself lately have really hit the spot for me, and I thought I'd share them with you too, dear reader. So when fear takes hold, hold on, and repeat these to yourself, perhaps they may help you too:

"feel the fear, and do it anyway"
 
"be the change you want to see"
 
"start before you're ready"

I LOVE these, and they certainly help me to distinguish fear from love and passion when I'm faced with a trickly decision or situation.

What's helping me the most at the moment, as I come off anti-depressants after 18 months, is focussing on my panic/fear/anxiety/whatever in a visceral way - how do these feel physically to me?
- does my body temperature rise?
-does my heart beat faster?
-do I feel tension in my body? Where?
-do I feel fluttery or shaky anywhere?
I focus as specifically as I can on how it feels in my body (not in my emotions) and also how long I feel like that for. Invariably I'm surprised by how short these episodes are and how effective this technique is for 'naming' the fear/anxiety etc...

It helps me to separate from them and I can then move on. I can then get on with acting on my intuition, taking the risks it suggests and living more fully.

May this post help you too, dear Mamas.

Carolyn x x x

No comments: