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How to Release Fear
If we take stock of our predominant thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
and find that we have lots of worries, concerns, and anger for whatever
reasons, then we have reason to begin releasing fear. Even if our anger
is perfectly justified, if it is eating away at us and is interfering
with our peace of mind, then we can choose to do something about it.
When anger is that intense, it probably has fear associated with it: we
may fear our own adequacy in being able to deal with the situation that
brought about our angry response.
For most people fear begins in childhood, and we can understand that as
children we were in fact vulnerable. We sometimes did suffer at the
hands of parents, teachers, and other influential adults who may have
intentionally or unintentionally harmed us or otherwise made us feel
inadequate or rejected. And, we did our best to cope with our feelings
and deal with our lives. In the process, though, we may have developed
patterns we would now like to change.
Fortunately, recognition is the first step in correcting any problem,
and once we recognize the fear for what it is, we can release it.
The idea of releasing fear sounds entirely too simple, but in fact that
is precisely what we must do. There are many different ways, all equally
acceptable, to release fear. Here are a variety of ways people have used
to do just that:
• Say silently to yourself, “Release my fear!”
• Do something physical like deep breathing or exercise with the idea of
working the fear out of your system.
• Learn meditation or other relaxation techniques.
• Use prayer to ask for the release of your fear.
• Choose to let fear go and replace it by thinking about something
positive, such as the smile on your child’s face or a happy thing that
happened recently.
• Stop the thought you were having (that brought on the fear), let it
go, and begin doing something that makes you feel better.
• Take a deep breath and count to 10 while saying you want the fear to
go.
• Stop the anger by saying, “I have a right to be angry but I choose not
to be because it isn’t good for me.”
• Say to yourself, “I recognize the signs, and I refuse to put myself
through this. I demand my fear be released!
• Reassure yourself that it’s okay—you just got into a little fear, and
you no longer allow fear to control your thoughts. Now you are the one
in control, not your fear.
• Say to yourself, “I’m going to be just fine. I can handle this. I
refuse to give in to fear.”
Each of these methods works, and many more that you might think of. It’s
not so important what you say; rather, it’s what your intention is.
Your intention, accompanied by strength of feeling and resolve, must be
directed at releasing or letting go of fear.
After all, this type of fear does not serve to protect us (as with the
fight or flight response to real danger); rather, it hinders our growth,
adds to our stress, and intensifies our problems.
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