Weathering the Fear Storms

This morning I got caught in a storm.  A fear storm.  My mind started doing it’s (somewhat unhelpful) job of trying to protect me, and in the process, I got very emotionally worked up about impending disaster.

The dark clouds of worry moved in fast, pushed by the winds of scarcity and doubt.  My thoughts got caught in a tornado of negative thoughts, and it wasn’t long before the floods overflowed my eyes and rushed down my cheeks.

I almost let it overcome me completely.  I wanted to just curl up in bed and do nothing for the rest of the day.  But I have other commitments today that wouldn’t allow me to do that with a clear conscience.

So I reached out to my husband. (Thank goodness he can usually stay “up” when I am down!) He did what he could to help cheer me up.  And then, responsibility kicked in.  I can not be an effective coach when I am caught in the middle of a fear storm.

I stopped, and took several slow, deep breaths.  I thought about how much I enjoy helping other people see their own brilliance.  I prayed and meditated.

And my husband received a phone call that alleviated some of the negative “what ifs”.  That helped a lot! 🙂

Another game I sometimes play with myself when I get caught in a negative spiral is to what if up. (Thanks again to my husband for this one!)  A lot of times when the what ifs come up, they tend toward the scary side…what if I lose my job…what if I miss that important phone call…what if the car breaks down.

The what if up game turns the mind in a different direction, and uses its natural creative ability in a more positive way.  So, instead of the examples I listed above, the what if up game would look more like this:

  • What if I receive a promotion?
  • What if there is a message with a phone number/appointment time/etc?
  • What if I won a new car in the latest Reader’s Digest Sweepstakes?

Yes, it may be a little silly. I find it lifts my mood just enough to pull me out of the negative whirlpool.

What do you do to get out of a negative funk?

Blessings,

Mary