Thursday Tippity Tip: How to F.A.C.E Your Fears
Fear...
People say to face your fears but let me tell you, facing something ( real or imagined) that FEELS scary is no easy task.
Please understand that having fear doesn't equal weakness and not all fears are bad. I used to think that if I had any fears I was not trusting God enough or was not a mature a Christian. Fear is not the problem! It is what I do with fear that defines whether or not I become a slave to it. Below is the acronym F.A.C.E., which I have found really helps me not only face my fears but walk through them in victory.
But first, let me go over the fears that are healthy fears to have. Fears like fearing to touch a hot stove, fearing to blindly step out into the middle of a road, fear of sticking your hand in a dark hole in the ground, fear of falling if you free climb a cliff and any fears that help keep our self preservation in check are good. Fear in and of it self can't change things but if it is a healthy fear it can be a warning siren that goes off only when it needs to in order to help keep us safe.
Face the fear(s):
Stop ignoring the fear or pretending you don't fear X Y or Z. Running from fear is like trying to outrun your shadow. I have found that pretending fear doesn't exist or trying to pep talk myself out of fearing whatever it is I fear only makes things worse and never solves the problem. Fear can only be ignored for so long, and if the root of fear is not treated it will keep coming back. The easiest way to do this is by verbalizing, "I'm afraid of __________"
Assess the fear(s):
Now that you know and have verbalized what you fear, is that fear valid? Before you can answer that, you first have to know what gives fear POWER. Two favorite places for fear to get its power are:
in the imagination (i.e. claustrophobia, fear of clowns, fear of the dark)
in lack of knowledge (i.e. fear of dancing, fear of particular animals, fear of guns)
Those two places are petri dishes of fear that can breed at an alarming rate in the right conditions. Most fears find their root in those two categories. Of course there are exceptions to every rule but for the sake of not turning this short post into a long exposé on fear, I am going to stick with the main two categories.
Cross examine the fear(s):
Ask yourself, "Am I fearing _________ because I IMAGINE this or that? or "Am I fearing _________ because I DON'T KNOW?" Once you know the "whys" behind your fears ask yourself, "Is there evidence backing these fears?" .
Educate the fear(s):
The best way to overcome fears of any kind is to educate yourself on the fears that are common to you. Become familiar with them, because the more you do the better you will get at knowing which ones you can immediately dismiss and which ones need further assessing.
If you are fearing because of your imagination then educate your body on how to respond to those kinds of triggers by teaching your mind to dismiss those thoughts for what they are, imaginary. Now I realize our bodies can biologically respond in fear to an imagination of the mind like what happens in many phobias, and when that happens it is hard to see truth in the moment, but with with practice in facing those fears, it gets easier.
If you are fearing because of lack of knowledge then educate yourself about those matters. Maybe your fears about X Y or Z will be confirmed but understanding the truth about something replaces fear with knowledge. And that knowledge turns fear into a positive thing. It compels us to change circumstances within our control and let go and let God in the circumstances we can't control.
So there you have it!
F. Face your fears
A. Assess your fears
C. Cross examine your fears
E. Educate your fears
I hope this post helps you F.A.C.E your fears in a healthier way and leads to a more fearless kind of living.
