The Great Antidote to Fear

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy in life is when men are afraid of the light.

-??????Plato

Life can be incredibly stressful. Thanks to social media and our addiction to our phones and computer screens, we’re exposed to images of doom, gloom and disaster at every turn. So, it’s hardly surprising that most people feel overwhelmed by their fears and anxieties. Like so many millions of people today, do you ever feel unable to cope with all the stresses, problems and uncertainties that are a daily feature of modern life? Have you ever been in a position where you felt as if you’d lost all hope? How do you react when life overwhelms you and delivers too many problems?

If you can relate to this brief description of living in the modern world, you are certainly not alone. Feelings of being overwhelmed and out of control are all well-recognised reactions to the pressures and stresses of life in our high-tech society. But the dark shadow of fear can affect us so deeply, that we feel powerless and lost in the face of our challenges.

If that’s the problem, then what could be the best answer?

The real question for us to consider right now is whether there’s anything we can do to deal with our fears and neutralise them before they begin to overwhelm us. Is it really possible to conquer our fears and take back control of our lives?

Well, the answer might surprise you.

Research has confirmed a very interesting phenomenon that has been explored, understood and taught for thousands of years.

There really is an antidote to the paralysing grip of excessive fear.

Can you guess what it might be?

Take a deep breath because the simple answer is – laughter.

That’s right. Laughter.

Philosophers and countless ancient observers of the human condition have noted how strangely effective laughter can be when it comes to influencing human emotions. They’ve reminded us over the centuries that something as simple as laughter can have a profound effect on how we think and feel and behave.

Although it’s also fair to say that fear isn’t really the problem.

We shouldn’t blame fear for being what it is. After all, fear is a completely natural product of our evolutionary development. It’s a primitive mechanism that served to increase our chances of survival when danger threatened our lives. It’s been an integral part of the human condition for hundreds of thousands of years.

Yet, today, the fear response continues to play a very significant role in our lives – even when there’s no obvious reason to justify its presence. We know that most of our fears are a product of our imagination. We learn to be afraid, worried that we might not be good enough, or capable enough, or worthy enough - until the doubts become a concrete shell that limits our vision, degrades our creativity and pours doubt on what we believe is possible. It’s as if our imagination somehow conspires against us to create all manner of fears and anxieties.

One of the traditional ways of confronting the specter of fear is to apply the power of reason and rationalise our circumstances. When we engage the logical, rational part of the mind, we automatically turn down the fear instinct. Thinking the problem through from a rational, objective perspective shifts our perception from a fearful attitude to one of creative interpretation. Fear doesn’t survive for very long in a rational environment.

But, when you feel paralysed in the face of your fears, the instant remedy that you can now deploy - is to laugh out loud.

Strangely enough, even if your laughter is forced and you really don’t feel like roaring with mirth, the effect is the same. Laughter triggers responses that neutralise fear.

Clearly, our ancient ancestors didn’t laugh when confronted by a hungry predator. So, in many ways, laughter represents the polar opposite to the fear response. When you engage in laughter, the ancient circuitry knows that in reality there’s no danger and it understands in its ancient way that it’s completely appropriate to turn down the stress response.

So, the next time you start to feel overwhelmed by a challenging situation and, if it’s appropriate, pause for a moment, take a deep breath and try laughing. You might be pleasantly surprised at the changes you can initiate just by laughing in the face of your fears.

It’s a powerfully simply yet very effective way for you to feel that you’re back in control.

If you found this idea helpful, please feel free to share the post and encourage others to free themselves from the bonds of fear. Let’s make today the day when we can move beyond the limitations imposed by our fears and anxieties.

The Wellness Foundation and the Cognitive Empowerment Programs have been created to help people master their stress and explore the power of their unexplored potential.

You can check out our websites and download our life-changing courses at:

www.thewellnessfoundation.eu