Before you can overcome it, first you must face it. And it doesn’t need to be a fight. When you face the sun, there’s no aggression toward the sun. We notice. Time flies and suddenly we realize something is different. We’ve changed by simply relating to what is.
This is a simple four-step process to facing and eventually overcoming fear. But you can explore this process to move through any strong emotion or state.
Realization Location Visualization Transformation
1. Realization. You’re experiencing fear. If you can’t name it, then it still has a hold on you. Getting to this part is 90% of the work. By naming it, you begin to release its hold on you.
2. Location. Where in your body are you feeling the fear? Your body physically responds to fear and getting specific on its location makes it harder for fear to hide and be powerful.
3. Visualization. Oftentimes, feelings come with an image or picture associate with it. My stomach is in a knot. There’s a hole in my heart. My legs feel like lead. If you can visualize it, you can work on transforming it. This is like looking directly into the mouth of the lion and holding your ground.
4. Transformation. After spending some time really seeing the image, begin to morph the image into wholeness as you breathe in. For example, if your legs feel like lead, visualize your breath lightening the weight from solid steel to aluminum. If there is a hole in your heart, use your breath to fill the hole. If your stomach is tied up in knots, use your breath to loosen the tie until you watch it unravel completely.
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