FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real
Over 99% of what we worry about doesn’t actually eventuate!
Our flight, fight and freeze mechanism is there to help alert us to what is dangerous but what we THINK IS DANGEROUS is really the SABRETOOTH TIGER in our MIND.
There are a couple of ways to reframe the word fear. Taking the first letter and making FEAR into an acronym to create an alternative meaning allows the brain to reset. False Evidence Appearing Real is a good one because it reminds us that what we may be pondering, worrying about or having anxiety over may not actually happen. There’s another reframe from the acronym FEAR - F**k Everything And Run! Circumstances will depend which one gets used but worrying about it doesn’t change the outcome - action does. We have to train our brain to look for the outcome that will best serve us, then take action.
The field of neurobiology is the study of the brain and its effects on our wellbeing. One of the key discoveries is that the brain is VERY malleable - it can be changed and rewired relatively quickly. Understanding what we need to do to rewire the brain first begins with understanding what we want to change - our own intention - and beginning with the end in mind. For example, if you want to worry less so you can get better sleep at night, the first aspect is to look at the underlying triggers and fears that are causing the worry.
Start with one challenge and ask yourself these questions around what it is that you are fearful of:
On a scale of 1-10 how likely is it that this will actually happen?
If its above a 5 and more likely to happen what can I do RIGHT NOW about it?
Write out at least three solutions or things you can do about it right now in THIS MOMENT that don’t depend on anyone else but you (this is a good to do in the middle of the night as it gets the problem out of your head and on to paper and allows your subconscious mind to go to work on more solutions for you).
Keep coming back to the moment as you work through the solutions - don’t let the mind start to wander - keep bringing it back to focus on the solutions and not the problem again.
Now write out at least three solutions or things you can do that DO involve having someone else help you.
Share your thoughts or solutions with people you trust and identify what you can delegate to others (don’t do this in the middle of the night - you won’t be popular!).
Ask someone else to take ownership of any aspect of the solutions you’ve come up with.
Writing down solutions helps to clarify your thoughts
Night Wisdom Can Help
Our subconscious mind is greatly untapped. When you have a problem that you are contemplating use the power of your subconscious mind to find the solution while you sleep. Take a pad and pen and put it by your bedside. Write out the question/problem you are facing (eg. What can I do to create more income?)
Sleep on it.
Write the solution that pops into your head first thing in the morning. It could come in via a picture, your dream, words, a song playing in your head. Write down whatever comes to you as you wake up. Do this every night for a week and see what solutions your mind finds for you.
You’ll be surprised.
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