A Different Way to Face Your Fears!

How would it be if every difficult thing we had to do in our lives, was approached with curiosity about it? We might ask ourselves “what will it feel like while I’m giving a report to 70 people?” Or, “what will the operating room in which my right knee will be replaced look like?” Or, “What will happen to me if I have to stay inside my apartment for another 8 weeks”?

What can be more challenging than life itself?

Philosophers, psychologists, and behaviorists have all suggested many techniques for successfully dealing with the stress accompanying life’s challenges. We’ve heard about breathing techniques, physical activity, medications, listening to music, and many more. The Mayo Clinic defines three main types of stress relief: Autogenic Relaxation, which uses visual imagery and body awareness, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, slowly tightening and then releasing muscles, and Visualization, using mental images to go to peaceful places and then, going there in our imagination.

Try this link for more information: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/basics/stress-basics/hlv-20049495

Of course, any or all techniques that work for you are great. Here’s a new one you may wish to try or add to your successful stress relievers. It’s the Adventure Method (I’ve given it a name) that helps me: I consider every challenge which comes my way as a potential adventure. Adventures usually refer to fun trips we are going to take. But what this method of stress relief does is to enlarge a sense of adventure and convert any upcoming unknown experience into something that may be interesting. Once fear rears its ugly head, add curiosity. What will it be like? All upcoming potentially scary experiences can be turned into adventures. I’ve used this Adventure Method many times in my life successfully. Here are some:

Going to college and graduate school

Becoming pregnant and being afraid to give birth

Moving to Rhode Island and back to the NY area

Divorcing my husband

Marrying my second

Moving from one apartment to another at the age of 86

Having knee surgery

And others.

I’ve noticed that this works when I have decided to move forward even though the activity I’m moving to frightens me. As a little girl, I was frightened of everything, including the moon! I guess my survival depended on facing fear.

Give it a try! It may be just the stress reliever you need to add.