Tactics to Jump from the Fear Train!

One wonders why fears appear out of nowhere when life is good. But, what do you do about that? A friend once advised me, "Don't worry, Robyn. Worry doesn't change a thing. It just leaves you frazzled!"

More than once, in a variety of settings, I've remembered her words and tried different tactics to escape. But the strange part is, I thought of my friend as a worrier. Fears can rise to any one of us in the middle of the night though life runs smoothly. In fact research shows that one in four people experience anxiety at some point in our lives.

Worry a special form of fear "Worry is a special form of fear," says Edward Hallowell in a Psychology Today article. "It is what humans do with simple fear once it reaches the part of their brain called the cerebral cortex. We make fear complex, adding anticipation, memory, imagination, and emotion."

What tactics work against unfounded fears that rear their ugly heads in the middle of the night? Here're strategies that work for me... What works for you?

Think on Scriptures At times when I slip and fall into needless worry, if I think of approprite scripture, it changes my perspective very quickly. For example, Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. [from The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language] To follow that up by humming a reminder in music helps too... His Eye is on the Sparrow, works really well. Then I give thanks for the many ways God has blessed me. That brings me right back to center and fears soon flee so that I fall back into a deep sleep.

Turn on a National Public Radio station Hearing what's going in Inside Europe, takes my immediate attention off my worries. The facts and information move my mind away from former thoughts. Best part is the speakers' voice often works just like a lecturer and puts me right back to sleep.

Play a round of Virtual Mind Golf Since I love golf and know the inside and out of at least three courses, I begin to play an imaginary game of golf. I imagine the best of all possible shots and try to see how far I advance on the course before I snooze again. Besides, this gives me opportunity to see myself golf like a pro!

Create a Bust the Barriers List When a barrier rises up, I begin to think of all the ways I can bust it. By seeing possibilities and jotting them down, I'm making positive moves forward - especially as I take action.

Stephanie Dolgoff offers 6 Ways to Stop Your Stressing -- Stat! in Self Magazine, November 2007.

Hop off the worry train Just because you have an idea ("I might get fired") doesn't mean you need to ride it to its terminus. ("There are 50 ways I could screw up, and I've got to avoid them all.") Instead, think of a few tasks that will help whatever happens, like bonding with coworkers.

Plan to fret "Take half an hour to worry intensively, then move on," says Penn State professor Tom Borkovec, Ph.D.

Keep a journal Jot down your worry, then in a few days or weeks, write the outcome. What you'll find: Things usually turn out better than you think they will.

Challenge the likelihood of your worry If your husband is late coming home and you imagine he has been hit by a bus, think about the emotion behind your worry. (You are anxious because you love him and want to keep him around.) Once you have identified the emotion at the heart of your worry and allowed yourself to experience it, see if it's a reasonable worry (hint: probably not). Then let it pass rather than allowing anxiety to ruin your quiet night at home.

Peel an orange The next time a thought threatens to snowball into a stressfest, grab an orange or grapefruit. Press your nail into the skin, peel it back and smell the citrus scent, focusing on every sensation. "Rather than worry about the future, you can bring yourself into the moment," psychologist Robert Leahy, says.

Get nostalgic Visualize your key life events of the past 10 years. You probably can't recall the worries linked with these experiences, or, if you can, you may see that most never happened (e.g., you didn't trip and fall at your wedding). Tell yourself that current worries will fade from memory, too.

Neurofeedback Ellen Weber says that neurofeedback works like aerobics for the brain... or mental exercise... that shifts brain-wave patterns.

Ask and Answer Resourceful Questions Here's a question Ellen Weber suggests to get started... Could you relieve stress that leaves most people anxious and frustrated?

People who live in stress, do so when there is loss of control accompanied by anxiety for the future. Fears often trigger stress for people who focus more on past mistakes than on future opportunities ... where infinite potential becomes more a state of mind. Suggest just one doable solution to one problem you face, for instance, and you literally rewire parts of your brain for the next winning solution.

If you'd like strategies to make questions resourceful... check out Wendy Piersall's excellent strategies at Ten Questions to Turn a Bad Day into a Good Day.

I may have missed a really good tactic that works for you...

Let's hear what you do when all's going well at work and life, yet fears suddenly grip your mind...

Photo Credit from Flickr: Speeding Train by swerve.