Two Strategies for Walking Through Fear

For several weeks, I’ve hosted a Webinar Series with Dr. Stephanie Burns, a specialist in adult learning and the human brain and body.

The series focuses on transforming our thoughts about what’s possible as we age, our perception of time, and strategies for experiencing an enriched life regardless of age.

After each webinar, I’ve enjoyed offering some “Cowgirl Perspectives” on how the ideas of that week’s webinar can be incorporated into “horse life.”

Last week, we briefly explored the topic of fear, primarily as it relates to returning to riding after an accident.

This week’s video is a clip from one of my “Cowgirl Perspectives.”

If you haven’t joined us already, there’s still time. This work is truly life-changing.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

We had a heartfelt discussion about fear, a journey we all embark on when facing something that triggers our deepest anxieties.

I will share two different ways I’ve navigated fear, especially when it comes to riding.

For example, if you’ve had an accident with a horse, just walking into your boot room and thinking about putting your boots on could be uncomfortable.

One strategy is to walk toward the boot room. When discomfort sets in, take a breath and give yourself permission to stop.

The next day, take another step and find where the uneasiness begins. Pause again and perhaps retreat. This gradual approach builds self-awareness and respect for your own comfort zone.

The comfort-discomfort-pause threshold is personal.

If you feel you should be able to put on your boots without fear but can’t, that’s okay. This journey of small steps and self-awareness is unique to each individual.

Honoring your feelings with honesty and integrity can be freeing and confidence-building.

Also, you don’t have to share your approach with anyone other than someone you feel safe with.

The second strategy is to relax and think about the small steps you will take when you go to the barn, but you do this away from the barn.

Get very relaxed. Then, when you’re ready, go through those small steps in the same way you would do it in physical reality. When you get to that place where it’s uncomfortable, that is your spot to pause. Don’t resist it. Breathe and be with it until it melts away.

When you reach that place, you can step back to a safer place in your mind if you like. It’s your choice.

Understanding that our bodies, minds, and hearts don’t know the difference between something vividly imagined and the real thing is crucial. Therefore, doing those exercises develops self-awareness, the ability to be kind to yourself, and the ability to feel fear and know you’re safe.

When we experience unpleasant emotions, our physiology changes. Our heart rate increases, our muscles tighten, our vision narrows, our brain waves speed up, and sometimes, we experience sweaty hands. This is typical of the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system state.

The ability to practice the empowering skill of returning to a parasympathetic nervous system state from the sympathetic nervous system at will allows you to access a more relaxed and open perspective – and – be at your personal best in any situation.

Let’s say you were walking to the barn and felt your heart rate go up. You can back off, take a big breath, and practice feeling your body and breathing into your abdominal area.

By practicing self-regulation in either of these two ways, you can learn to manage your fear and anxiety, which will serve you well in all aspects of your life.

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