There’s much that can trigger fear in our hearts today. The question is what will you do with that anxiety? Will you allow it to crush you, destroy your health and relationships or motivate you to action?  Easier said than done, eh? 

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Perhaps your anxiety soars every time you watch the news, fill up your gas tank, or go grocery shopping. Or maybe it’s the realization that you can no longer rely on refinances to make your bottom line. Whatever it may be how to we move from wanting to retreat and instead push forward?

These are some of the thoughts I ponder as I go to what I call my chapel. What path should I take? What if I make things worse? How can I leverage this current situation? 

There are several ways to move past fear and toward action and here are just a few.

One is to concentrate on what you can actually control. What is your locus of control? That is what things can you actually change or influence in a given situation.

Next is to look toward the future no matter how dire the present moment feels. Just because you’ve had a setback or failure is knocking at your door doesn’t mean success isn’t in your future.

Another is to ask yourself, what would I tell my best friend in the same situation? Chances are you would be much more empathetic and patient than you are with yourself.

Then there’s the reward. What do you stand to gain if you move past your fear? Visualize the result. 

When fear is holding you back try reciting the words of Seneca out loud. “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality”. How many times have your fears never materialized? Thankfully many many times.

In the end, fear is a natural transitory emotion. It can help you escape danger. That’s a good thing. However, continually living in a state of fear is not. The key is to know when you’re fearful and make a mindful choice of what to do next. That ball’s in your court and mine. What will you do?

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