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Posts Tagged: facing your fears

7 Questions to Ask Yourself When You Feel Fearful

Posted by Marlene Anderson, MA, LMHC, NCC

paper dragon

Fear can be our friend or our enemy. It can prepare us, instruct us, and keep us safe. Or it can become a huge, threatening shadow that locks us in anxiety, worry, doubt, uncertainty, and helplessness.

Often, we spend too much time paying attention to the emotional response of fear and not enough time identifying what we are afraid of. We can spend hours worrying about the “what ifs” that our mind creates when held in the grip of fear.

We can recognize and reduce unhealthy anxiety and fear by asking ourselves seven questions when our fear buttons get triggered.

5 Ways to Prevent Fear from Paralyzing You

Posted by Marlene Anderson, MA, LMHC, NCC

When our lives are dominated by anxiety and fear, we will experience panic, which freezes us and sets off a chain reaction of more negative thoughts. Anxiety keeps feeding the fear and panic with slogans such as:

  • “You’re doomed.”
  • “There’s nothing you can do.”
  • “It’s hopeless.”

But when we peel away the layers of our fears, hidden beliefs that compromise our ability to take that next step are revealed.

Today on my podcast and blog, you’ll learn five ways to unveil hidden beliefs and thought patterns so you can confront your fears and begin to work through them.

What is the Root Cause of Your Anxiety and Fear?

Posted by Marlene Anderson, MA, LMHC, NCC

Creating and Taming Fear Dragons | FocusWithMarlene.com

Years ago, I was attacked in my home by an intruder. I was fortunate and came away unhurt. But it was a moment of real fear when confronted with a danger that was overpowering and very real.

Fear – like all emotions – gives us information. It can warn us, keep us safe, and alert us to danger. It can help prevent disasters. It can empower us to take appropriate action to avoid a calamity or to correct behaviors.

Today on my blog and podcast, we’ll talk about “what if” fears that can overwhelm us and lead to a negative internal dialogue that creates a “fear dragon.” You’ll learn what to do when you recognize a “fear dragon.”

Legitimate Fears vs Paper Dragons

Posted by Marlene Anderson, MA, LMHC, NCC

paper dragon

Fear is a critical survival warning system.

It triggers our fight/flight response system to meet any threat by fleeing, fighting, or remaining frozen in place.

Fear can be our friend, or it can be our enemy. It can prepare, instruct, and keep us safe; or it can become a huge threatening shadow that keeps us locked in doubt, worry, uncertainty, and helplessness.

In this article (with accompanying audio), I’ll help you recognize the differences between unhealthy fear and healthy fear, and I’ll share preventive measures you can put in place when you sense the fear dragon breathing down your back.

Creating and Taming Fear Dragons

Posted by Marlene Anderson, MA, LMHC, NCC

Creating and Taming Fear Dragons | FocusWithMarlene.com

What scares you the most on a day-to-day basis? Are you concerned about your job, or your kids or testing positive for cancer?

Fears are normal and natural. They help us plan and think and prepare. But they can also become deep-seated anxieties that monopolize our thinking to the exclusion of problem solving.

Fears, like anger, can become excessive

They can appear like huge dragons or monsters threatening everything we do to the point where we no longer see options or opportunities.

The excessive fears we create in our mind seem just as real as any physical danger we might encounter.