By Reena Dayal
Job Losses | Business shutting down | Deaths | Depressing news headlines | Government decisions | Civil unrest | Domestic Violence | Multiple Lockdowns | Conspiracy theories | Brexit | 2020 has been a challenging year and as we continue to battle with radical changes there has been one emotion that has swept up each one of us to varying degrees - FEAR.
There is no doubt that there are different parties who will contribute carving out the so-called recovery stage. The government, Business forums, financial institutions, thought leaders, and you and me. For now, let's focus on the ‘you and me’ and what we can do. Fear is here to stay and learning how to be fearless is a life skill worth investing in. Now.
NAME IT: What is Fear?
Fear is an emotion. True. That is how we experience it and recognise it. In fact, there are other emotions that are closely associated with it - anxiety, concern, being scared, worried. Behind these words, fear and all the emotions I have listed are human ‘energetic response(s)’ to take action, triggered by our brain.
When we experience fear, there are two chemicals that flood our human body triggered by a part in the brain called amygdala - they are, Adrenalin and Cortisol. Both are important to help us survive in face of ‘threat’ - either by fighting, freezing or fleeing. This, as some of you already know, is the human response that was hard-coded in us as we evolved as humans. Fear as an energetic response is meant to protect and safeguard us from perceived danger.
CLAIM IT: How do you experience it?
This varies from person to person. Some of us feel it in the pit of our stomach, some of us find we are clenching our teeth, or our shoulders tense up, or perhaps you feel your face getting flushed. This is the instant reaction. If the fear factor or stimuli persists as it had been with the pandemic, we begin to show other symptoms - stress, exhaustion, confusion, depression, sleep disruption, weight gain/ loss, inertia/ hyperactivity, sharp bursts of emotion, and so on.
Get close to recognising what happens to you when you experience fear. ‘In the moment’ what bodily sensations do you experience? Noticing the sensations acts like a pause button to the emotion taking over in the moment.
My Leadership Acceleration programme trains clients to recall the physiology behind fear (Name it) and notice how they experience it (Claim it). This helps minimise the control fear has on them. Just like a spotlight that lights up a dark scary corner.
REFRAME IT: How do you overcome it?
When the amygdala that triggers fear is engaged, another part of your brain called the pre- frontal cortex (PFC) is not engaged - and you need to engage it. It is the part that helps us find solutions, be creative, be logical, find an answer, calmly explore new options and identify new choices.
But there is a problem.
The PFC and amygdala work like a seesaw. Only one of them has power to control your actions at any one point of time and the amygdala has priority clearance. When your brain senses threat, the amygdala is switched on automatically - you have no control. However, you can switch it off from taking over, with what I call a CIRCUIT BREAKER.
What is a Circuit Breaker? Well, it can be a word, an action, a person’s memory, a pause, a prayer, a drink of water. Any of these can be your chosen circuit breaker. A client of mine chose her son’s face, another humour, a third saying the words - ‘I need time’. The key is to train yourself to recall the circuit break whenever you are fearful or feeling the fear rise in you.
When you recall your chosen circuit breaker it acts like a bucket of cold water. It snaps you out of the fear (triggered by your amygdala) and gives you an opportunity engage your PFC. This can help you calm you down. Once you identify your circuit breaker get experimenting and use it.
Nelson Mandela said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” With practice you begin to learn to be fearless as you teach your brain to identify new options and choices despite the threat around you. Champions are made with practice. Stay on track as you consciously Name It, Claim It and Reframe it.
“ Be Fearless.”
Reena Dayal
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