With all the violence (and threats of violence) that have been in the headlines these last few weeks, the excitement of fear has been living very prominently in my mind. Fear is the most primal of all human emotions; there are no gray areas in the emotional landscape of fear. This emotion has a very important role: to protect us from danger. It keeps us from thinking that we can hug grizzly bears, no matter how cute they may seem. The problem comes when the fear wants to “help” when it is not needed. And in our modern world, where we’re not usually chased by grizzlies on a daily basis, fear often feels the need to lend a hand when it really isn’t.
In our society, admitting that we are afraid is often considered shameful, and yet the dominant culture constantly feeds our fear, making it grow stronger and more powerful. We can try to fight fear or deny its existence, but in my experience, that’s not a very effective approach.
So what are we to make of the voice of fear when it tells us to run when we’re in a casting office waiting for an audition? Or when he tells us to stay home and not go to the audition in the first place? Or when it immobilizes us when “places” are called before a function? Here are some tools you can use to control and decrease fear:
1. Make friends with fear. It’s not going anywhere, so you might as well make friends with it! When you feel it bubbling up in you, say, “Hello fear. See you there. Thanks for trying to protect me. I appreciate you.” Fear will always be in your life, but it doesn’t have to control your life. .
two. Name your fear. Try to think of fear as a separate entity from yourself. You might even want to give your fear a name. I like to call mine “Gertrude.” Seriously, give your fear a funny name and you’ll start to take some of the power out of this previously nameless force. When we treat our fear as separate from ourselves, we are more likely not to let it rule us.
3. Turn off the news. I am not suggesting that you become completely uninformed and blind to all the suffering in the world. What I am suggesting is limiting the amount of time you spend watching, listening and reading about the negative things that happen. It is very easy to become addicted to the cycle of negative news. Personally, it doesn’t make me feel empowered to have this “knowledge”, it makes me feel more fearful, overwhelmed and disenfranchised in all aspects of my life. This is especially important if you are a very sensitive person. While it may not seem like this is directly related to stage fright or hearing, the more opportunities the fear has to manifest itself, the more space it takes up in your brain.
Four. Take positive action. Instead of watching the news, contribute a few dollars to the causes that matter most to you, whether it’s global warming, homelessness, or war. Or use your creative voice to create art that will spark positive social change and illuminate issues near and dear to you!
5. To meditate. Meditation allows “mental chatter,” which is often fear-based, to calm down. When you meditate, see if you can get in touch with your higher self. The higher self lives within each and every one of us. It is our connection to something bigger than ourselves: our inner wisdom. Allow your higher self to be the one to observe your fear. When you consciously light up your fear (instead of letting fear subconsciously control the show), the power of fear will be greatly diminished.
Fear is natural, it will always be there. But you have a choice how you will react to it. The important thing is not to let it control your life. Don’t let fear stop you from going on that audition or sending that submission to a casting director. When you take positive action towards your goal, you will face your fear with compassion and it will become less powerful!