There is a feeling, in the pit of your stomach, when things go wrong. It is the feeling we got, thousands of years ago, to let us know that a predator is near. Do we run at it with a spear or away from it as fast as our legs can go? We make a decision, based on that feeling, and we survive.
Today the predators are not in the shape of a beast but may take the shape of a past due bill, a struggling relationship, an upcoming test, or a promise we made but can’t deliver. The wrong food can spike the fight or flight mode, sugar at breakfast or a greasy burger at lunch. Tuning in to someone else’s troubles, worrying about our kids or a friend, can bring on the burning in the pit of our stomach.
Feelings are real, but they are not always facts. Sometimes they are just feelings. I had a friend with a feeling that I shouldn’t go up in a hot air balloon. I didn’t have a bad feeling. I went up in the balloon and it was wonderful. Not a fact, just a feeling.
Sometimes our feelings tell us the truth. We all know stories about people who cancelled trips on roads that closed or planes that ended up crashing. These are the stories we trust but they are like urban legends, spoken of often yet few and far between. We don’t remember the times we moved through the feeling and everything worked out okay. We paid the bill, reconciled the relationship, passed the test, kept our promise, and we moved on.
When that fight or flight comes, identify the predator. Will it kill you? If not, you can probably ignore it or at least move past it. Observe how you feel. Hmmm, I have a test coming and I feel sick. Am I prepared? If so, let it go. If not, perhaps a little more prep will salve the burning sensation. Take the test anyway. What’s the worst that can happen? You fail. You don’t die, you just don’t pass the test. It is not the end of the world.
With all the modern day predators coming at us, our fight or flight mode can stop working right. Like the check engine light in the car that you put electrical tape over, it flashes at us for everything. Quit listening. Put electrical tape over the fight or flight feeling. You can do this by breathing, talking to a friend, or journaling. It will take time. Trust that you won’t die. You may fail, you may lose, you may miss a payment. It’s okay. Life goes on.