Get a Handle on Fear

When I came back to working with horses, after being thrown and dragged, I had a lot of inner work to do around fear. My horse Moon helped me work through my fears while riding. I practice the Mind Body Method (a coaching process I developed) to slow down my automatic responses and stay present in my body. Moon helped me integrate new positive ways to be with my fear instead of the old trauma loops and breakdowns based in dissociation.

When Corazon, my wild horse, came into my life the exploration of fear became dramatically exaggerated. It seems even standing next to him my stomach would start to flip-flop and I would get queasy. His energy was huge. When he first arrived I made the mistake of taking off his halter and putting him into the round pen. It took a month before I could catch him. Each time I got close to him, he would burst into a frenzy of activity and race around and around. While he ran around releasing his fear, my body would experience amplified fear. It seemed the two of us were experiencing spontaneous combustion.

I got to know Corazon and observed how he responds to all sorts of things. I learned how to work with him when he is triggered into fear. The time we spent together during his colic last summer also dramatically changed our relationship. He grew to trust me and at the same time my trust in him deepened. (Corazon and Kathy are pictured above. Photo by Alejandra Lara)

Now spontaneous fear does not run amuck in my internal landscape while I am with Corazon. When he reacts I stand calm and centered and completely ignore him not giving his concerns any extra attention. The emotional resonance between us has decreased as my leadership has increased. He notices my non-reaction and immediately becomes calmer.

I have experienced another layer of growth around fear. Seven years ago when the towers in New York were bombed I witnessed many of my coaching clients going into fear. Many of them scared for their physical safety, others for their financial safety. The more I watched TV and read the papers the more I felt the same way—fear crept in. Seven years later I am witnessing the same thing as our economy is adjusting and many people are living in a great state of fear.

However, I am a different person today than seven years ago. Today I have the inner strength to recognize when my thoughts are based in fear. When others start to complain or worry about the economy I stay in my center and know that I will be cared for, that there is nothing to fear. As some freeze, unable to continue on their path of growth or invest in their future, I become all the more invested. This is the time to grow internally and to support people who are suffering in fear.

When Corazon first came to me I used to subconsciously think: What is going to happen? What do I need to prepare for? These fearful thoughts were present in every cell of my body. Many of you may be experiencing these thoughts as our financial climate is shifting.

I consciously chose to shift the negative thought pattern I had with Corazon. Now, everyday before I ride him I center myself, I extend my heart energy to him, and I also ask for God and my angels to be present with us. There is no fear. It is the exact same in my life. Before I fall asleep at night I thank God for my many blessings, when I awake I think of all the wonderful things that lay ahead of me for the day. Each moment I choose to experience love and inner strength. I don’t let negative group consciousness affect my inner happiness.

When fear arises you have three choices: flight, fight or freeze. Managing fear requires developing your own responses to your nature survival mechanism, verses allowing reactions or learned responses. It requires that you slow down and make conscious choices to eliminate the negative thought patterns.

Our current economical situation is a blessing. Everyone has the opportunity to become more responsible, conscious and empowered. Big homes, lots of money, and high-level jobs do not create happiness. Happiness is an inside job.

What is your current state of being on a day-to-day basis? Inner peace or fear?
Do you look at your life right now and count your blessings or are you waiting for something terrible to happen?
Have you put your dreams aside and your life on hold to simply focus on surviving?
Are you more focused on what you most fear or what you most want to create?
When you are with your horse are you looking for things to be careful of and avoid, or do you walk anywhere knowing that you and your horse feel safe and know how to respond?

You get to choose how you experience life. Ultimately everything you create is dependent on your attitude and the power of your mind. Claim your life, your happiness and your leadership; choose to feel safe, loved and happy.