Hope is Always Available to Overcome Fear and Uncertainty
There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope. Bernard Williams
Everyone feels anxious now and then. It’s a normal emotion. For example, you may feel nervous when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision. However, for people who experience excessive anxiety like worry or fear or stress, it can be constant and overwhelming.
“Unprecendented Time”
During what has been deemed an unprecedented time in our history, many people are experiencing various forms of anxiety as well as depression. At the time of this article, our country has been in a mandated state of sheltering in place, with all non-essential activities halted. Airplanes are parked. Major Hotels and restaurants are closed. Stadiums and coliseums are empty. Millions of Americans are unemployed. As a result, some feel the stress of being out of work and struggling with finances. Others are facing the fear of contracting the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Still others are worried about the future and the uncertainty they are facing.
A common phrase is that we are in unprecedented times. And in some ways, this is true. Certainly, our generation has never experienced something of this magnitude, with far-reaching impact that spans the entire globe. There is no people group that is unaffected by the novel Coronavirus pandemic.
Yet, if we look at history, we see that the world has encountered severe adversity from generation to generation. For example, World War II was responsible for 70-85 million deaths, military and civilian. We can look further back to the 14th century and find the Plague that resulted in more than 70 million deaths, killing more than 30% of Europe’s population. In 2004, a tsunami in the Indian Ocean killed at least 225,000 people in a dozen countries. Here in the United States, we have seen our share of tragedy. The 9/11 bombing, as well as many mass shootings. Weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, forest fires, earthquakes.
Releasing Fear and Anxiety with Hopefulness
Self-doubt and fear in the face of uncertainty can paralyze us and blind us to the good options that are available. Even in the midst of fear and anxiety, we have within us the creative capacity to meet the situation and make use of it for personal growth and development.
Wounds from the past seem very real and strongly affect current behavior. Reliance on the past makes you expect pain in the future. To overcome fear, we stop living in the past, or worrying about the future, and live in the present.
With hope, many people can manage those feelings and get back to a fulfilling life. Once genuine hope is ignited, it transforms your reality and eliminates fear and uncertainty.
Beliefs determine what you manifest in life. Allow yourself to be vulnerable; you can trust that no matter what happens, greater and greater possibilities will surface. Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.
Finding Courage
Hope tells me anything can be transformed. Human nature fears change. Connecting to hope and finding the courage to change comes down to overcoming the fear of letting go.
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― William Faulkner
Moving into the unknown is scary – merely hoping for change is ineffective because it falls short of taking positive action that hope can support. We often get caught between wanting change and the fear of the unknown. But as we all know, the one constant in life is change.
Holding onto the past or staying frozen from fear of the future are what prevents us from accepting change.
Be courageous!
To answer the question of how to guide change to get the best outcome without anxiety, contact Jay Alvaro and start the journey.
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