[audio:http://www.buriedlogic.com/audio/episode6-fears.mp3]

Welcome to day 6 of the 7 Keys to a Healthy Mind or Feel your Fear.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” according to Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities. “It was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair….”

Award-winning photographer Michael Mauro shot the above image while we were studying at a Daoist Monastery on Wudang Mountain, China. The Chinese Yin Yang symbol reflects a healthy mind’s vision of fear and the path to blending the good with bad, the best with the worst.

Obviously, there are those fears that are healthy for us, protecting us from those things that could cause us serious bodily injury or even death, if we are not careful. Most of us don’t stick our hands into an open fire. Those would be the best fears.

Now, the worst fears, if you will, are those that freeze us in our mental and physical tracks for no truly protective benefit or reason, public speaking jumps to mind. These phobias or anxiety producing situations actually cause a great deal of stress to our bodies and our brains. Long term, sustained exposure to the chemicals, coursing through our bodies and our brains during our perceived “flight or flight” situations have a detrimental affect to our mental health. More philosophically, a courageous mind is a smiling mind.

Here we go. We can begin to train our brains to be braver by finding those situations that frighten us, and slowly, methodically free ourselves to face them. First step, visualize yourself confronting those things you are timid about. Make the mental movie, through your own eyes. Once you have successfully choreographed your courage in your mind’s eye, slowly practice expressing your new found courage outwardly. Steadily assert your fledgling assertiveness.

Remember, our fears also arise from the mental movies we make, so re-recording over those fearful thoughts with new, powerfully dynamic images of you facing your phobias in your mind’s eye, will make a very powerful impact in your overall mental health.

Before we go…

** I am not a doctor, a psychologist or psychiatrist.** Now, for those of us that suffer from a diagnosed, major clinical depression or chemical disorder, only the valuable time spent with your doctor, will hash out a plan, best suited for you.

Please join me tomorrow for the final of the 7 Keys to a Healthy Mind; Rest as Recreation.