During the Mental Self Module of the “Reduce Stress, Restore Balance” program participants take a deep dive into understanding the energy and feelings behind emotions.
We only look at 4 of the 6 emotions: joy, sadness, anger and fear.
In pairs the participants rank Emotion Intensity Cards to recognise the gradual rise in the level of energy and thought distraction in an effort to understand and regulate their responses to stimulus.
For instance, rank these FEAR emotions in order from bottom to top using the criteria, little energy use to extreme energy use:
Edgy
Wary
Nervous
Worried
Fear
Panic
Terror
Attentive
Which emotion do you feel first?
Which emotion uses the most energy?
Which emotion absorbs your thinking the most?
Interesting observation is that most groups place FEAR. Usually at the top.
In the case of the last participants after Panic and before Terror.
What is odd about this?
You hear people talk a lot about their fear in doing something. Fear of talking in public. Fear of trying new things. Fear of starting a conversation.
If you consider that people believe Fear is just below Terror, this insinuates Fear, in the contexts above, utilises a massive amount of energy, because I am not sure about you, but Terror has not visited my house since I was a young boy watching Dracula swoop down on some unsuspecting victim.
Hence my distain for the horror genre of movies.
I don’t believe Fear sits just below Terror.
The Fear that stops us from moving forward is something that can be worked on.
If the emotion is debilitating, then it is not Fear it is Panic or Terror emotions that really stimulate the fight, flight or freeze protection mode. There is an immediate decision to be made.
Fear on the other hand can be talked to.
What is the cause of the Fear?
What is the real blocker?
What is the worse-case scenario?
Unlike Panic or Terror, Fear can be negotiated, and strategies can be implemented to allow you to move forward.
So next time your storytelling self says, “Fear is stopping me”, acknowledge the Fear and strike up a conversation with why and how to move forward.
FEAR can stand for “Forget Everything And Run” or “Face Everything And Rise”
Your choice.
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