How to Cope with Fear During Times of Tragedy

How to Cope with Fear During Times of Tragedy. In this post I discuss ways in which we can begin to move through fear and anxiety in the wake of devastation and loss.

In these times of what seems like constant tragedy and loss, it is easy to fall into a fear based mindset. With these senseless actions happening so often, I sometimes feel like I don’t want to leave the house. In these moments, the world seems far too dark, unsure and dangerous. These senseless actions occur too often and the fear they cause can inhibit us from fully living our lives. You may have had similar from, “wow, maybe I shouldn’t go to concerts,” or “movie theatres scare me and seem too risky.” You are not alone in these thoughts. There is so much uncertainty in each day and it is difficult to accept the fact that we cannot control what happens. It’s so tempting to plan out and manage our entire day from start to finish when in reality, the hard truth is that we have no control over the day-to-day. This feeling of lack of control can loom over us and create negative thought patterns and actions in our lives.

What comes will come and it is a part of a greater plan that we cannot possibly begin to fathom at this moment in time. It is going to take us a lot of work as a society and human race to stop these horrific tragedies and yes, we can work to prevent future tragedies from happening but that is for a different post. Today, I want to talk about fear, why it’s okay to feel this way and ways you can cope with it and not allow it to inhibit you from living your life.

If I’m being completely honestly, right now I am a little afraid of the world. Each day there is a new tragedy on the news and sometimes my heart just can’t handle it. I begin to spiral into thoughts of fear and anxiety. I’m scared for my own life, scared for the lives of my loved ones and scared for all of my brothers and sisters across the world. During these times, the world feels a lot less like home and more like a series of unpredictable, scary events. If you feel this way, know that you are not alone. Many of us feel scared and heartbroken right now. It is okay to let these feelings surface. It is healthy for us to acknowledge these feelings and begin to cope with them. We must cope with our feelings so we can continue to live our lives fully and open heartedly and to honor those we have lost. Below, I discuss some ways that have helped me work through fear and anxiety. Feel free to take what works for you and leave what doesn’t — they are merely suggestions for you to try along your personal journey.

• Take time to settle down. Meditate, pray or sit in stillness. It can be hard to be still when you feel jittery but spending time in quiet and away from reading the news and from screen time can allow you to relax and connect back to yourself.
• Get outside. One of the best ways to remind yourself of the world’s beauty is to step out into it. Take time to be in nature. Go for a walk, hike or sit outside and read. Look up and around you and notice the colors, the smells and the sounds that surround you.
• Write it out. Find a quiet place to sit and write down what you are thinking and feeling. My favorite way to do this is to just put the pen to paper and let whatever comes spill onto the page. I don’t think about whether it sounds pretty nor do I edit as I write. I let the thoughts come and write them out, which has been extremely therapeutic for me.
• Visualize all of the things in your life that make you happy. Truly allow yourself a few moments to sit with each thing that brightens your day. In this gratitude practice, it can be easy to mindlessly list the things your thankful for: family, friends, shelter, etc. Actually picture your family sitting together, smiling and happy. Imagine the feeling of a hug from your grandmom. Bring yourself back to the feeling of sand beneath your feet at your favorite vacation spot. Notice how you light up when you picture these beautiful moments.
• Breathe. I like to lay down and place one hand on my heart and one hand on my abdomen. Notice the rise and fall of your belly with each breath. Feel your heartbeat beneath your palm. Know that you are alive and loved.
• Do something that makes you happy. Get coffee with a friend, make dinner with your significant other or go to yoga or for a run. Make the things you love a priority and soak in the beauty of the moment. Allow yourself to be fully present in the moment.
• Be positive. Yes, there is evil in the world but there is also so much love. The world is full of brave people who love fearlessly, people who sacrifice their lives for complete strangers and people who give all that they can in the aftermath of tragedy. We all have the opportunity to unite together and stand as one. There is still so much love in the world.

While these tactics will never make up for what has occurred and cannot replace the love that has been lost, they can help us to live without constant fear or anxiety. When we begin to cope, we can unite stronger and lift up those around us. We have much work to do as a nation and across the globe and we must work hard and take action to prevent these horrendous actions from happening again. As always, we must pray. Pray for the victims and their loved ones, pray for each other, pray for those suffering from mental illness and pray for ourselves that we may be strong and take action. Sending you all my love.