Letting Go of Fear

Deborah Myers standing on the zip line platform

Deborah Myers rappeling from the zip line platform

Does your child experience anxiety or fear?

Do you notice how it affects their ability to be present and that it can actually create worry about the future? Frequent bouts of anxiety, worry, fear, trepidation (no matter what word is used) create a pattern that the body gets used to. THAT means the body is caught up in a state of “being in stress” which in turn creates a tendency to take the breath away and a tendency to be stuck in the emotions and the feelings.

No matter the age, these feelings are not imagined. They are THERE and can affect what we’re willing to do and/or how easily we step into the activity. We can be talking about going to school, meeting new people, studying, taking tests, playing sports, trying anything new.

An Adrenalin Rush

I love to fly through the air on zip lines. It’s an adrenalin rush for sure. But more than that, for me it is the experience of loving the feeling of freedom and joy. Several weeks ago, my kids joined me for a night time zip line for my birthday. Loved that anticipation! And I was ready. I go myself energetically centered and grounded. (I do my energy balancing before I step into the harness.)

There are usually eight people in the group, so it’s not unusual to not know everyone who you go up on the platform with. I noticed right away that a young woman in our group was in a state of worry. Even during the initial practice, she was second guessing her decision to do the zip line. By the second platform she was in a major state of fear — she had discovered an intense fear of heights that surprised her and took her breath away. By the way, when that happens, there is no going back. You have to finish the next six zip lines (there are a total of seven plus two sky bridges and a rappel). I offered some self-help acupressure tips, but by that point, she needed assistance. I taught her husband and on each of the platforms we did energy balancing (held acupressure points) before she zipped to the next platform. Long and short of it, she made it to the end, though the hardest was the very last one where you need to rappel yourself to the ground.

Perception is Your Truth

The reason for the story? The stressful experience someone is going through can be that kind of intense or it can be something that appears relatively easy to another person. My belief is that each and every “stressful experience” has a reason for showing up that way. So it needs to be addressed with “let’s change this up and make it different.” We can do that by learning and doing simple energy balancing movements that can re-pattern the body.

First Aid for Fear

Here is what did I do for that young woman on the zip line:

I did the following. And, YOU can do the same thing for your child if he or she is experiencing stress, worry, anxiety or fear. Hold each point with light, gentle touch and hold for several breaths.

• Hold your fingers at upper back near middle of shoulder blade
  (Keep that hand there while the other hand moves)
• At the same time, with other hand, hold same side upper arm above elbow
  • Move that hand to elbow, then to thumb
  • Then move to base of ribcage.

This simple movement gives the body a chance to open up lungs and diaphragm and open up breath.

And you can do this in the midst of the “anxious moment” or as prevention! The body wants to be in flow, not be stuck in  “I’m not okay with this way of being”. We just need to show it how to get there and stay there!

Let me know how it works for you!