Face Off Against Fear: The 3rd Period

This is the final period, I mean article on facing off against your fears. In the previous two articles, we delved into the first five steps of our seven-step game plan in dealing with our opponents: fear, anxiety and worry. During the “1st Period”, we looked at changing our attitude about facing fear and we came to realize that we can do something about it, if we believe in ourselves. We then identified our most prevalent fears that are holding us back in life. After which we learned how to incorporate two calming skills into our daily routine. During the “2nd Period” we took a look at accepting our fears and how to confront our fears head on.

Now, we are about to face off against our fears with the start of the final period. Our goal is to develop and practice the coping skills that will enable us to handle all fearful situations, including anxiety or panic attacks. Let’s take a look at steps six and seven in our game plan right now.

Step 6: Handling the fall out

In a worst-case scenario our fear can manifest itself in the form of a panic or anxiety attack. Keep in mind that during the first two periods we developed a number of skills and strategies that enable us to deal with these severe physical reactions of our body and mind to a fearful situation.

One strategy to use when you start to feel overwhelmed is to give yourself permission to experience the fall out, rather than resist and deny the symptoms. By giving yourself permission to accept the symptoms, you have taken one step closer to defusing or minimizing the physiological effects of an attack. At this point in time, work on re-conditioning your mind. Focus on changing your perception about what is transpiring. Downgrade your beliefs from thinking that what you are experiencing is “horrible” or “unbearable” to something that is “hard” or “uncomfortable”. In doing so, you set yourself up to better accept what is transpiring and it is easier knowing that your body’s reaction to this stress will pass with time. Move from being overwhelmed by your symptoms to managing your body’s reaction.

Another effective approach to coping with some of the uncomfortable physiological symptoms, such as hyperventilation, increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, or excessive shaking is to fall back on your calming skills that you learned in the “1st Period”. Start by using the calming breath technique, whereby you take a long, slow inhale filling your lower lungs first, followed by your upper lungs and then holding your breath to the count of “three”. Exhale slowly, while focusing on relaxing your muscles in your head, shoulders and torso. This technique coupled with visualization can decrease the negative physical effects of a panic or anxiety attack within seconds. You may not prevent the attack from happening, but at least you are dealing with it in a positive way. This brings us to the last important step.

Step 7: Practice makes perfect

In order to achieve your ultimate goal in defeating fear, worry and anxiety you need to practice on a regular, consistent basis all of the skills and strategies outlined in these three articles. Just as a hockey team has a game plan when facing each opponent, you too need to follow your game plan to defeat some of your worst fears or anxieties. Your main goal is to de-sensitize your body against the effects of fear, changing your fear response over time as your belief in yourself forms.

Here are five suggestions to make effective use of your practice time:
#1 Purposely start practicing for fears that produce your lowest state of anxiety with the most modest symptoms.

#2 During each practice, your goal is to become as uncomfortable as possible by creating the strongest symptoms possible.

#3 Allow the symptoms to pass. After your practice exercise, take 30 seconds to account for your thoughts and emotions. Should you still feel anxious, practice your calming skills.

#4 Practice frequently. You should schedule at least one exercise per day a minimum of four times a week. Your objective once again is to change your conditioned response over time so that the symptoms become less intense and pass quickly.

#5 Chart your progress for the first few weeks. Record the intensity of your symptoms as being either low, medium or high. As well, jot down your level of fear or how frightened you became as being either low, medium or high. A simple charting process will provide you with some positive feedback as to your progress and motivate to continue your course of action.

Just as a great hockey player practices on a regular basis the skills and techniques required to face his fiercest opponent, you too should shoot for the same goal. If you have missed reading the first two articles on more effectively dealing with your fears, please visit the Successorize Yourself website.