Have you ever or do you still have a fear of the dark? Do you have children that fear monsters under their bed or in their closet? Last night I arrived home later than usual after an exhausting day of dealing with my own “monsters.” This really scared me, and trust me, I do not scare easily. I cannot give an exact account of the events that transpired out of respect of others’ privacy. Needless to say, it was a threatening situation that shook me to my core. Fortunately, after taking the appropriate steps, the immediate real danger was over. However, my fear-based thinking and reptilian brain was fully engaged even after the “monster” was gone. Instinctive survival fear and the attack or hide response all originate from our reptilian brain. This part of our brain deals with perceived threats and does not distinguish between what is reality and what is imagination.
While dealing with the aforementioned situation, the fear that captivated my very being began to consume me. It was in fact, the same fear I felt as a child when I had to navigate down the long, dark hallway by myself to the laundry room of my childhood home. Last night as I faced this challenge, I was standing again in that hallway.
As a child, I remember summoning up all of my little girl courage, making a decision to face my fear, and finally running full speed through the darkness to get to the laundry room and turn on the light! I felt so brave, empowered, and triumphant for facing my fear! Can you remember a moment like this? A moment when you made a decision to do something that you were afraid of and ran directly into it? Do you remember how amazing that felt?
After the intense day I experienced, I sat parked in front of my home, afraid to enter due to the still-present fear within me. While contemplating my next move, I made the conscious decision to once again summon the Spiritual Power of the little girl from long ago, and break free of the gripping fear that I was facing.
The first thing I did was call my Mom! Yes, at 55 I still call my Mom when I’m scared! She was amazing. She called on angels to surround the part of me that was in fear and her love strengthened me. After our prayer together, I still had to face the perceived fear alone. I got out of the car and instead of running for the front door, I intentionally looked up at the stars and took a deep breath. I filled my body and mind with the magnificent, fragrant scent of Cedar from the forest around my home. I proclaimed myself as safe. I walked slowly to the front door and was soon mesmerized by the evening’s activities, which brought myself back to a peaceful state.
I now offer this to you; If fear is holding you back from something you want, consider following these steps to break free like I did last night and will continue to practice when needed.
- Acknowledge the fear to yourself
- Reach out to someone you trust. Acknowledge your fear to them as you prepare to run through your “dark hallway”.
- Ask yourself what IS true. In brain speak, asking a question activates the higher reasoning centers of the brain and forces the reptilian brain to back down causing the mind to open. Reach in to connect with your Spiritual Source in whatever way is right for you. Ask for help.
- Make the decision to move through this fear. Proclaim yourself safe, even if you feel the opposite.
- Take the action – do the thing that you’ve been afraid of
- Afterwards, acknowledge your bravery
- Bask in the light of your empowerment
These steps work regardless of whether you are facing a real life threat, for example a health issue, or simply cannot break free of fears that hold you back from manifesting a long time dream you KNOW is necessary for you to live life fully. This process is also a wonderful tool for helping a child tame the monsters under the bed.
KID VERSION: I asked my Mom how she helped me through my fear of monsters under my bed when I was a child. This is what she did: She held me close and encouraged me to tell her all about the “monsters”. She engaged my imagination by giving me a tool to destroy the monsters, such as a Love Lazer that would dissolve the monsters into pure love. She stayed with me until my little body was relaxed and I could sleep. Thank You Mom!!
