Whether we want to admit it or not, we are all feeling the effects of the Coronavirus. And while we may not have physical symptoms, the uneasiness brought about by social distancing, shifts in our job and home life, and the fluctuating economy and concern for friends and loved ones could quickly leave us struggling with fear, doubt, and uncertainty.
For people who are suffering from the virus or may know someone who is, along with the frontline workers who are trying to keep us all safe and healthy, the emotional hardship is even more acute.
And while there’s no cure for the heightened anxiety that’s all but inevitable in these stressful, unprecedented times, there are ways to change your approach to dealing with it that can meaningfully reduce your overall sense of helplessness.
Because if we have to sit at home, we can at least channel our fears into finding a path forward. Read on to learn how to acknowledge your fear, but find success in spite of it.
It’s okay to feel afraid. Know that you’re not alone.
I’m with you. We’re living in a scary time. We’re dealing with a situation we’ve never seen before. And very few of us have a clear picture of how we’ll get out of this thing.
But, no matter how helpless we might feel about stopping this virus, we do have power over ourselves, and — more importantly — we always have a choice. We can choose to act in spite of fear.
You know that voice of fear. We all have it…Well, guess what? That voice is your mind, and it’s your mind’s way of trying to protect you from potential threats because that’s its primary job.
The problem is that instead of chiming in WHEN you really need it, your mind tends to serve up hypothetical scenarios to keep you from acting under uncertain circumstances. This results in you living in a constant state of fear and prevents you from taking action on the things you want in your life.
We can choose to let fear control us, or we can stand up and take control. The first step to mastering your fear is recognizing what it is when it happens. Fear is simply False Evidence Acting as Reality. Which means, IT ISN’T REAL, and no matter how realistic it seems, it only exists in your mind – unless you give it the power to exist in your life.
The first step to mastering your fear is to recognize what it is when it happens. Fear is simply False Evidence Acting as Reality. Which means, IT ISN’T REAL. Click To TweetJust because a fearful train of thought shows up doesn’t mean you have to ride that train. Getting on board with wild speculation isn’t a journey that serves you.
Instead, get clear on what you CAN do, instead of focusing on what you can’t.
Drop the narrative of an uncertain future (the future will always be uncertain, and always has been). Get out of the fiction business. Embrace the actions you can take NOW. Take a walk. Learn something new. Work on that big idea you’ve been putting off. START NOW.
Most of us are fearful of this virus on some level. But the mind has a habit of always looking for what could go wrong, which is a natural defense mechanism that it uses to protect us.
Remember, you can master those fear-based feelings. When you take control of your fear, you free yourself to work towards your goals and attract what you want with the full force of your mind and energy.
3 Tips To Focus Your Energy on What You Can Control
When you take back the power fear has held in your life, you free up that energy to focus on what’s important to you.
As tough as things might seem right now, we’ve been given this time to recover and start planning for the days ahead. With this mindset, we can find ways to stay optimistic, despite what we see on the news.
Here are 3 tips to help you take action in spite of fear even in the most difficult of times:
1. Clearly Define The Life You Want To Create
Be specific and write down exactly “what” you want in your life and —more importantly — “why” you want it. Without knowing the WHAT, and the WHY, you won’t know the HOW.
There’s no way to get what you want until you’ve defined what you want, and just as important, why you want it. Your motivations will steer you through any storm.
Here’s a quick video explaining this in more detail:
2. Review Your Goals, Take Inventory, Then Take Action
During times like these, it’s easy to focus on what you’ve lost. True enough, life looks drastically different for all of us, and the “normal” things we often took for granted are now luxuries. But, the sure thing about every time of crisis is that it will eventually end, and even in the midst of what seems like chaos, there are still things you can control.
Take time to revisit your goals. I know I am! I’ve taught thousands of students about the power goal setting and success building, and I believe there is A LOT of power in knowing what you want and how you plan to get there.
Then, take inventory of the things at your disposal right now — family, friends, the network of colleagues who might help you take that next step, and all the resources that are helping you economically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. These are the tools that will help you reach your goals.
Life happens, things change, and the universe doesn’t really ask our permission for how change might affect our plans. All we can do is adapt, roll with the punches and keep moving forward.
Life happens, things change, and the universe doesn’t really ask our permission for how change might affect our plans. All we can do is adapt, roll with the punches and keep moving forward. Click To TweetSo, don’t beat yourself up over goals you’re missing, or ones you simply know you cannot reach given the changing circumstances we’re living through. Go over your goals, be painfully honest, remove and change whatever needs to be removed or changed, and use the tools you have to get to where you want to be.
But, promise yourself one thing above all things, that no matter what details get changed, or however you have to adapt, you won’t stop moving forward. That you’ll continue to believe in yourself, your potential and the value of your vision.
3. Practice Gratitude
For every “negative” thing that may be happening to you, someone else is likely undergoing more pressing challenges. Gratitude has a way of dispelling fear, anxiety, and a self-defeating attitude. You can’t focus on what you DON’T have when you’re grateful for what you DO have.
How we progress through tough times isn’t based on what we don’t have, or what we might’ve done or not done in the past. It’s about how we use what we do have now to stay optimistic and to sow seeds of growth that we can reap later.
How we progress through tough times isn’t based on what we don’t have, or what we might’ve done or not done in the past. It’s about how we use what we do have now to stay optimistic and to sow seeds of growth… Click To TweetRemember: it isn’t our external circumstance that determines how OK we are. We always get to have the final say over our fears and how we react to them. With a few tweaks to our thoughts and responses in the face of uncertainty, we can find ways to enjoy the lives we have been blessed with—Coronavirus or not.
What are you doing to conquer fear during this uncertain time? Please let us know in the comments.
For your freedom,
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