Managing the Inner Fears

Binge watching the Horror American web series “The Haunting of the Hill House”, some scenes were obviously still playing on my mind. Last night, till I had gone into a deep sleep, I chanted Hanuman Chalisa. It helps me always and that’s about it.

The Horror genre is something that I am super scared of watching yet like to see for pure enjoyment. The mind is one silly little thing! Though this series I had chosen purely for its brilliant storytelling. Anyway, even though rare when I decide to watch a thriller, I place my palms on my face and see the scary scenes through the space between my fingers. Whatever works to keep my overall self happy. 

No nightmares, no waking up at night or no sudden sweating. It was a good night’s sleep and all well. I remember even asking myself to be chilled out as I was just watching someone’s fiction.

By catastrophizing we lead ourselves down a deep hole wherein we created problems that actually don’t exist. We feel hopeless. We are helpless over something that hasn’t even happened. This kind of situation arises when we are faced with an ambiguous situation which confronts a deeper fear (rejection, abandonment, failure, shame etc.)

Fear is needed for survival but not at the cost of it coming as a regret years later of not being able to pursue something you really wanted. Not at an expense of controlling us, paralysing us, crippling us. It kills opportunities. It kills our morale.
While we can’t stop our mind from its auto pilot state we can look at ways to manage it better.

Finding time to sit quietly each day and let these fears play goes a long way in helping us overcome it. Press the start button and imagine everything that you are fearful of, all the incidents that scare you. Watch it as an observer. Understand what makes you feel uneasy? What is it that’s manipulating your feelings? Prepare alternate plans for them. Buck up yourself where needed. Pace your actions thoughtfully. Action is the only way to fight fear.

Stop chewing on something that has lost its flavor a long time ago.