There’s a of people feeling the fear and stress at the moment.
I have my previous article dealing with fear when we are getting unnecessarily triggered by social media and the news.
But what happens when fear is real, when we should pay attention to it?
What happens when there are genuine challenges - like rising costs, uncertainty, or even something as practical as a fuel shortage that could affect your ability to work and live?
You can’t just ignore that. You still have to go through it.
The Reality of Fear
Fear has a purpose.
When something genuinely threatens your ability to survive or function, your system kicks in:
- Fight
- Flight
- Fix the problem immediately
That’s natural.
But what often happens is we get stuck there.
We become:
- Narrow in our thinking
- Hyper-focused on the problem
- Disconnected from perspective
This is what I call the panic state.
It’s powerful… but it’s also depleting.
The Problem With Panic
When we enter panic mode, everything becomes about control.
You might notice thoughts like:
- “I have to sort this out right now.”
- “I can’t rely on anyone else.”
- “If I don’t fix this, I’m in trouble.”
And while that energy can help you take action, it comes at a cost:
- Stress rises
- Creativity drops
- Options disappear
You’re no longer seeing clearly — you’re reacting.
A Moment That Changed My Perspective
I was walking in the mountains recently when I first heard about the fuel shortages.
It was the first day of sunlight after weeks of rain.
The fields were alive. The bees were buzzing. Everything was just… continuing.
And it hit me:
Nature doesn’t stop because of human uncertainty.
The ground still produces. Life still moves forward.
And in that moment, I realised something important…
You Can’t Always Control the Situation — But You Can Choose Your State
If fear is real, you still have to move through it.
But you have a choice:
- Move through it in panic
- Or move through it in possibility
One depletes you.
The other empowers you.
The Shift: From Scarcity to Possibility
When we’re in panic, we think in scarcity:
- There’s not enough
- I’m at risk
- I have no options
But when we step back — even slightly — something changes.
We begin to see:
- Alternatives
- Opportunities
- Different paths forward
More importantly, we take control of our emotional state, and that’s where possibility lives.
A Simple Exercise: “So What?”
Here’s a tool I use when I feel that fear rising.
Write down the fear clearly. Then ask yourself:
“So what?”
Not to dismiss it… but to expand your thinking.
For example:
“What if I run out of petrol?”
So what?
- Maybe I find alternative transport
- Maybe I adjust how I work
- Maybe I create income streams from home
- Maybe I collaborate with others
Suddenly, the mind opens.
You move from:
“I’m stuck” to 
“I have options”
This Is Where the Real Work Happens
As you explore new possibilities, something interesting shows up:
Resistance.
Thoughts like:
- “That won’t work for me”
- “I couldn’t do that”
- “That’s not realistic”
This is where your old stories live. And this is your opportunity to question them.
Because underneath all of that... You’re more capable than you think.
You’ve Got This
That’s really the message here.
You’ve got this.
Not because life will be easy. Not because challenges won’t come.
But because:
- You can adapt
- You can think differently
- You can find solutions
- You can grow through it
And the more you practise this shift…
The stronger you become.
A Final Thought
If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, try this:
- Step outside
- Get perspective
- Write the fear down
- Ask “So what?”
And just see what opens up.
Because when we rise out of panic and into possibility,especially together, that’s when something powerful happens.