Overcoming Fear Through Mindfulness
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Overcoming Fear Through Mindfulness

Fear often acts as a formidable barrier in our lives, holding us back from pursuing what our intuition tells us is right. However, through the mindfulness of emotions, we can confront and diminish this fear, paving the way for personal growth and empowerment.

Here's a step-by-step guide to employing mindfulness to navigate through fear, from an ancient practice referred to as RAIN:

  1. Recognition: Begin by identifying the fear. Be honest with yourself about what's causing the apprehension.
  2. Allowance: Accept that the fear is present without judgment. Understand that it's a natural emotion that everyone feels at times.
  3. Investigation: Dive deeper into your feelings. Ask yourself why you feel this way. Is the fear based on past experiences, doubts about your abilities, or concerns about future outcomes?
  4. Nurturing: Treat yourself with compassion. Offer yourself comforting words or visualize a safe space. By doing this, you can diminish the impact of fear.

As you practice this method, you'll often find that fear's grip on you weakens. And even if the fear doesn't dissipate entirely, remember: it's possible to move forward even while feeling afraid.?

Embrace the mantra, "Do it scared, but do it mindfully."

While the process might sound straightforward, like many things, it's easier said than done.?

Mastery comes with consistent practice. Begin by addressing minor anxieties or annoyances. As you become more comfortable with the method, you can gradually tackle larger fears.

In essence, the journey of overcoming fear through mindfulness is one of self-awareness and self-love. By acknowledging, understanding, and nurturing our emotions, we can live more authentically and courageously. What is next for you in “doing it scared?”

Please note that the RAIN method is a mindfulness practice that stems from Buddhist traditions, but the acronym "RAIN" itself, as commonly understood in contemporary mindfulness teachings, was popularized by several Western teachers. If you're interested in delving deeper into this topic, and a wide variety of mindfulness practices feel free to visit our upcoming mindfulness program .

Carol Dweck , Aaron Tabacco, PhD , Lily Pan , Beatrice Stonebanks , Laura Berland , Heather Buesseler , Bill Duane , Michael Putz , Jeanine Farah Akiki , Ginny Jacobs , Kathy Mendonca , Angela Stopper, Ph.D. , Cori Bossenberry

Way to simplify !

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Kathy Mendonca

Program Manager & Senior Instructional Designer at University of California, Berkeley

1 年

In my career, I can't think of a time that I did anything meaningful when this wasn't the case. “Do it scared, but do it mindfully” has served me well. Following the RAIN practice does help the fear dissipate, and practicing self-compassion is the key to living more courageously.?

"Do it scared, but do it mindfully!" Here goes!

Angela Cervantes

Benefits Analyst III at University of California Office of the President

1 年

As the great Tom Petty states in his song titled "Crawling Back to You"; "Most things I worry about never happen anyway". Thanks, Pierre for the gentle reminder of ways to keep our thoughts in check.

Heather Buesseler

Re-Humanizing Health Systems * Compassion * Flourishing * Human-Centered Design

1 年

Just had very real practice choosing to do the thing that scared me this past weekend... feeling much more in alignment after having done it :)

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