Getting caught in fear? Here, take my hand

It's a vicious cycle.

Wake up → see what fresh new horrors are in the news → let fear totally hijack my brain → start imagining terrible future scenarios to try and feel a sense of control → end up in a pit of despair feeling like shit and unable to function → go to bed → wake up and do it all over again. 

I’ve had to find a way to stay out of those holes…because I’m really no good to anyone down there, including myself. 

There’s a lot of truly scary stuff going on right now. Before we continue any further, I just want to acknowledge that and make it perfectly plain that we are not spiritually bypassing our way out of this.  

We are, however, grounding ourselves in the present moment, where wisdom and intuition reside.  Because the truth is, we are way more equipped to take aligned action if we stay in the here and now than if we allow ourselves to keep getting sucked into deep dark holes, imagining all the horrendous potential futures that may unfold. 

And we need as many heart-centered people as possible staying present and taking action rooted in wisdom, rather than fear. 

We need each other now more than ever. So many lovely people have helped me out of holes recently, and I want to pass it along to you. My hope is that you’ll pass it along too, and over time, as we all share and lift one another up, it forms a beautiful web of courage, empowerment, and aligned, organized action. So let me help you out of that hole, friend. 

Three Steps to Get Out of the Doom Vortex

1. Take a slow scan of whatever space or room you’re in. Try and focus all your awareness on simply observing what’s around you. This signals to your fight/flight/freeze system that there’s no predator waiting to jump out of a bush and devour you. You are in a space that is safe at this present moment. The only moment that actually exists. 

   
   

2. Pick a very specific spot in your respiratory system — perhaps your nostrils, your throat, or your diaphragm — and take a few mindful breaths, focusing your awareness on the sensations of your inhales and exhales. This brings you out of your mind and into your body. Notice that your body is safe.  

   
   

3. It is absolutely essential that we continue to find joy in life. Joy is an act of resistance. So once your mind and body are calm, think of one thing that fills you with genuine gratitude — that feeling of pure light, warmth, and effervescence, like a really top-notch hug, or remembering that you still have one chocolate chip cookie left.

It’s true, we need to be paying attention. This is no time to bury our heads in the sand (which is also a way of letting fear hijack your life, by the way). And trust me, you’ll get way more intuitive hits about which actions to take when you’re showing up to your life with full presence.  

If you’re like me, then you also have a mysterious knowing that you came to earth at this very time for a purpose. We are on the precipice of a massive change. An opportunity to see the patterns of humanity and choose another way. Will we bring about the evolution of human consciousness? I think there’s a very good chance we will. If we do the work. 

So stay on your path. 

I know it looks like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is in freefall…but she’s about to sprout wings. And you — yes, YOU — are part of the transformation.