| We've all been there. Nothing in our sights but nasty | | | | production. Then, congratulate yourself on your skill of |
| threats, impatiently waiting challenges, bad smelling | | | | surviving all previous such situations. You are now a |
| dooms, and impossibly ugly situations. I am referring to | | | | little closer to having a full fledge paddle in your hand. |
| the feeling of helplessly sailing into a paralyzing | | | | Now, as you have recalled surviving challenges before |
| cacophony of menacing boogie-men and purple | | | | (remember learning to ride a bike? That certainly |
| meanies just ready to pounce. There is a colloquial | | | | started out as an overwhelming task,) you must realize |
| phrase for this-- colorfully expressed as being up a | | | | that there is possibly a future after this particular one |
| certain particularly smelly creek without a paddle. I think | | | | that you are currently enjoying. Use that same |
| you know what I mean. While the threats may be | | | | imagination that is so good at imagining the worst, to |
| more imaginary than real, the paralysis can be very | | | | briefly imagine looking back from a future vantage |
| real. Unfortunately the state of being frozen by fear is | | | | having somehow successfully navigated these current |
| not a particularly useful one from which to handle | | | | threatening and smelly rapids. You don't have to |
| impending challenges. In the Darwinian world survival of | | | | imagine how you got through, just that you did. You |
| the fittest, being unable to move is commonly | | | | might even imagine smiling as you look back, having |
| considered an express ticket to extinction. | | | | survived once again, and, in the process, having |
| Somewhere in between flight and fight, fetal positioned | | | | collected some great stories. For example, when I am |
| stock-still panic only works in the presence of grizzly | | | | experiencing very troubling times, I always try to gain |
| bears. So lets, shake off the gross paralysis long | | | | enough mental flex room to remind myself how |
| enough to fashion a paddle and give ourselves a | | | | interesting this is all going to seem to me while I'm |
| chance to steer clear of the worst of what may or | | | | watching next season's NBA playoffs. That thought, |
| may not come. At very least, you'll have something in | | | | for me, always works to gain a little perspective. You |
| your hands to fend away the closest claws. First, take | | | | should by now, feel a bit of the panic and paralysis |
| a deep slow breath. Even if you don't feel like you can | | | | lifting at least slightly. In all but the most unusual |
| (and that does sometimes happen) force yourself to | | | | situations, most of our threats are not the 'gun to the |
| breath deeply and slowly. If you are feeling the | | | | head' variety, but rather, the 'imagining the worst' |
| paralysis physically, make the breath high in your chest. | | | | variety. Once you allow yourself a few moments of |
| If you are more caught in the panic of images and | | | | imagining something a little less dramatic than the |
| unpleasant anticipatory thoughts, try breathing lower in | | | | worst, that cycle of cataclysmic thinking is weakened. |
| your belly. That should buy you a few seconds of | | | | You have, in effect, fashioned your paddle. The less |
| rational thought: the first step in paddle construction. | | | | panic we experience, the more blood flows to our |
| Now, remember the last time you were in a similar | | | | brain's thinking centers, and the better able we are to |
| situation. If you are blazing new ground in terror here, | | | | handle whatever, if anything, is really threatening us. |
| then recall the last most similar situation. Remind | | | | Now paddle to the shore, wipe your feet, and figure |
| yourself, as you recall this situation, that you did survive | | | | out what you want to do next. Whether it's flight, fight, |
| it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here to fear again. In | | | | or laugh out loud, you'll be better equipped. This is |
| fact, no matter how bad it gets, you have no evidence | | | | another helpful mind management tip from Richard |
| that you won't survive-nothing prior to now has been | | | | Lefever and the brain weavers at Quit! Check out our |
| able to do you in. You have always survived before. | | | | website at |
| Congratulate yourself for your skill in creating such | | | | Richard Lefever has a practice in Hypnosis in Portland. |
| situations, not everyone is so talented in adrenalin | | | | |