As we prepare to step into the “new norm”, we can first make peace with the uncertainty. There is natural fear and anxiety during unprecedented times such as this. While we can’t push ourselves into positivity, we can take a moment to acknowledge and identify what’s coming up. Changes in routine offer the opportunity to get in touch with any thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations or intuitive hits that may have been suppressed. Things that may have been buried tend to rattle more and resurface during times of transition. When we face what’s coming up, feel it and relate to it, we have the opportunity to clear it and take a step forward.
Right now there’s a lot of talk about the need for innovation – innovative ideas, innovative strategies, innovative planning, innovative processes and practices. Innovation is not just helpful; it’s actually essential right now. However, it’s difficult to be innovative if we deny the natural fear and anxiety. Also, we need to remember that a certain degree of fear can actually be healthy. We want to keep minimizing risk, stay aware and alert, and use our discernment. A bit of anxiety can also be helpful sometimes. For example, right before delivering a presentation on Zoom some of us may have just enough anxiety to give us energy to perform better. Those who view stressful events as challenging opportunities may feel that they gain energy from their anxiety. The boost in energy from that little bit of anxiety may help motivate them and improve their performance. I have always performed better when I take a moment to notice that natural bit of anxiety right before a presentation. I acknowledge it just by being aware of it, without judging it, and through breathing exercises allow that anxiety to shift into a sense of excitement. This helps me stay motivated during presentations.
There is normal fear during any transition. Whenever there’s a change, a little fear is quite natural before we step into that place we have yet to occupy. When we learn to breath into the moment throughout the day, we can reduce that fear or transform it into something else. As we prepare to step forward during these times of uncertainty, we can think to ourselves,“There’s a little fear hear…must be the right place” and sometimes when we breathe into that second step, the fear has the opportunity to disappear and transform into excitement. Fear and excitement actually feel similar in our body. When we feel fear, it’s helpful to check in with ourselves to see if part of that fear might actually be a sense of excitement. Sometimes we may misinterpret our excitement as fear. And other times the fear is clearly fear. While we may be moving into unchartered territory, we can still make peace with the fear.
Sometimes the outside disorder prompts our inside to shake into place. Think about all the challenging times in your life. Did you notice that whenever chaos was playing out, you eventually started to feel more clear on the inside? It is true; the more drama around us, the more we need to get clarity within. During these times of uncertainty, many are struggling to get this clarity on the inside. Some people are saying that the strategies they previously used to reduce fear or anxiety aren’t working as effectively right now. When I was completing my MEd, a colleague of mine shared a different approach to reduce fear and anxiety. He called it an “energy practice”. Before I explain the process, I invite you to read on with a sense of curiousity and openess. Understand it’s OK to consider a new way. Let’s first talk a bit about energy!
Energy is meant to move in and out of form without getting stuck. If we are experiencing too much fear, it’s difficult to move our present forward. Same thing with anxiety. If we have so much anxiety that it feels overwhelming, it’s challenging to think about innovative plans for the future. One technique to reduce anxiety is to drop the “my” when you bring awareness to your anxiety. For example, instead of thinking to yourself, “I am aware of my anxiety”, change that statement to “I am aware of…anxiety”. This way you let go of the selfing.
While we’re standing in line at the grocery store, even when we’re 6 feet distance apart, we can pick up on the emotions of those around us. You can learn to recognize when you’re having a mood swing that’s not yours. Consider it’s not you initiating the mood swing. When other people are complaining while waiting in line, you may start feeling someone else’s emotion. Or if you sense it’s your own frustration, notice it without judgement and begin to focus on your breathing for a few moments. Next time you walk into a grocery store, if you start experiencing anxiety after a few minutes, realize if it’s just the anxiety of others around you. In this situation, you can think to yourself, “I’m feeling anxiety around me, but it’s not my anxiety”. Or if it’s fear you’re picking up, you can think to yourself, “There is a feeling of fear in this store, but it’s not my fear”. Or “There’s a feeling of frustration around me, but it’s not my frustration”.
If you are in a quiet, safe place at home and you feel that you are experiencing too much fear, you can reduce it by relating to it. Think of it as an energy practice. For example, picture fear leaving your body and going out in front of you (perhaps 6 feet from where you are sitting). Think to yourself “Hello fear”. I know it sounds funny, but consider for a moment that your fear just wants to be seen. Take a moment to acknowledge it. You don’t need to say anything out loud…just think to yourself, “Hello fear, I see you”. Imagine fear as an energy. It’s just an energy that got compressed in the form of fear, an energy all packaged up tightly, hanging out in the form of fear. Think to yourself, “Hi fear. I feel you. I sense you. I’m now relating to you”. Through this relating, you are acknowledging that some of your life-force got packaged in the form of fear. However fear can’t stay all tense and tightly packaged up once you start relating to it.
Through the relating, you take back some of your life-force that was previously locked up in fear. That fear out in front of you can’t keep existing at the same intensity when you fully face it and relate to it. Sometimes we may deny our fear. By picturing the fear out in front of us, we’re no longer resisting it and we have the opportunity to make peace with it. Think to yourself, “Hello fear. I see you. I’m experiencing you. I see you are just energy, squished up all tight and tense, vibrating in the form of fear.” Consider that maybe your life force was stuck in this pattern of fear, and now that you’ve taken time to relate to it, your life force is free to come back to you and the fear can now disappear (or at least reduce so it doesn’t feel so heavy).
Throughout this process, it’s important to stay curious without judgement. Remember energy is meant to move freely without getting stuck. After doing this type of energy work, you might start to feel lighter. That’s a sign that you’ve opened up and you can now enjoy a place of wonder. At this point, we can think to ourselves, “Hmmm…I wonder what new idea is trying to come through right now”. Using the “Hmmm” puts us back in a place of possibilities and we can tap into our intuition more fully. We may even see more clearly. When we’re experiencing too much fear, our vision actually narrows. As we start to reduce fear, our visual field begins to expand. The room that we’re in might start to feel bigger. As we continue to give ourselves more breathing space, colours may even seem brighter. Our awareness is a vast space within which we can reside more often.
When we are experiencing too much fear or anxiety, pushing positivity on ourself can be challenging. If we are feeling stuck at the core, it’s difficult to force ourselves to think positive thoughts. Thoughts can emerge from a stuck place inside. We can change where that thought emerges from, simply by shifting our energy. Relating to fear or relating to anxiety 6 feet out in front of us is just one technique to change our energy at the core. If this doesn’t work for you, there’s a variety of ways to move your energy. You can put on music that you know lifts you up. Sounds have the potential to shift our energy when we resonate with the sounds that we’re listening to. If you enjoy singing, you can sing that song that you know brings you joy. You can call that friend or family member who always makes you feel better. Or you can do that favourite exercise or stretch that you know will bring you peace. Once you shift your energy at the core, you can focus on changing your thoughts to more positive ones. Instead of saying “What’s wrong with this situation?”, ask yourself “What’s right with this moment?” This brings us back into a space of openness.
Right now all over the world, we’re stepping into the unknown a bit. While there is some real uncertainty, there’s also positive possibilities. This is a great time to revisit our values, hopes and dreams for the future. It is also helpful to reflect on the“change muscle” that we’ve been developing throughout our lives. We’ve all endured significant changes at different points and embraced important lessons along the way. And we all have adaptability skills within. Sometimes we just need nurture it a little more. If you are looking for an innovative wellness session to help you feel more flexible and adaptable during these times of transition, I welcome you to explore “Exercises to Support Change”. Or if you’re sensing fatigue, another option is “Energize your Body and Mind”. For the descriptions of these wellness sessions, click here and feel free to get in touch if you want more information. Let’s keep integrating wellness throughout the day as we prepare to step forward in a healthier way!
