There are numerous things that make our life "work" for us. Some of these are things we learned along the way, and others are somehow "innate" within us. And of course, there are things that make our life "not work so well".
I would like to share with you one thing that has worked for me, and has somehow been innate in my being: trust. Trusting that all is well, trusting that all will work out. This is not to say that I never worry, that I never freak out. But after the initial freaking out, or perhaps after freaking out again at the same situation, I remember that "everything always works out for the best".
Now you might say that's not the case for you... that things don't always work out! That may be because, with a very human limited vision of things at a particular place in time, we don't see the "bigger picture". We don't see that being fired from a job, evicted from an apartment, or whatever other challenge Life presented you with, will turn out eventually to be a good thing.
Losing your job may lead you to discover a better one or even a whole new career. Being evicted from your apartment makes you move to another neighborhood, or perhaps even another city. The relationship that ended makes space for you to meet the "love of your life". And the challenges you went through enabled you to become a stronger person who can then help others going through the same thing.
I Am Safe
What makes our life easier at the time of the challenge is to remember, or even just to remind ourselves, that "this too will pass", or that "this will work out for the best". Or if you can't bring yourself to believe that, then repeat as a mantra, "I am safe" -- whether you believe it or not when you start saying it.
I have used the "I am safe" mantra or affirmation many many times in my life. And not just in situations where one usually thinks of safety. I have used it when I thought I might be "catching a cold", or where I thought I was late for an appointment, or other such "non-fearful" moments. And I have used it in situations where fear reared up its head: "I am safe." Not "I hope I will be safe", or "Please, let me be safe". Those statements are still "iffy": hope, or please, or maybe... These words still carry doubt that you might not be safe.
"I am safe" is a clear statement, in the present moment, no matter what the situation looks like.
I am safe. Whether we are dealing with illness, with a challenging person, or an accident of any kind, any situation where we feel doubt about the outcome can benefit from "I am safe". Whether we're dealing with financial, relationship, or health challenges, whatever the fear or doubt, "I am safe" (along with deep breaths) is the key to calming our emotions and our mind, and helping us gain clarity. We can then make the decisions that ensure that we are indeed safe and will remain so, rather than reacting recklessly.
So when I hear my mind start off on a tangent of "what if" or painting some worst-case-scenario, I affirm "I am safe". This helps rein in the mind that is running off with all kinds of fearful scenarios... "I won't be able to pay the rent", "I'm going to get fired", "My car is getting ready to die", "Joe won't pay me the money he owes me", "My spouse doesn't love me anymore". Any of these thoughts are just that, thoughts -- unless they are based in actual facts. Otherwise they are just the mind running off with itself. Stating, "I am safe" helps ground us in reality and prevents the fearful mind from taking over.
Stating "I am safe" doesn't mean that you don't take action to make sure that your "worst case scenario" doesn't take place. It simply means that you do so from a head-space that knows that, no matter what happens, you are safe and that all will turn out for the best.
Nothing To Fear Except Fear Itself
Fear is so pervasive in our society and in our lives. For some of us, fear brings an adrenaline rush that we enjoy without even being conscious of that fact. Or perhaps, at times, fear makes us feel like a helpless child again, hoping that someone will take care of us and protect us and "fix our problem". In other instances, fear is a motivator to "do something, anything" to solve a problem, whether the problem is real or imagined. Whatever the cause of how we deal with our fear, cutting it off at the knees by reminding ourselves that we are safe is of great benefit.
After all, if everything always works out for the best (which it always does when we follow our heart and our inner guidance), then there is nothing to fear. Except, as we all have heard, nothing to fear except fear itself.
When we lapse into fear, we either freeze up, or we may react in an extreme fashion -- neither of the two being in our best interest. When we remind ourselves that we are safe, we can tap into an inner calmness, an inner knowing, that helps us then move forward in a more conscious and clear manner.
You might say, "Yes, but if I am faced with a bear, saying I am safe won't help me." Well, it will help you even if just in the sense that it will help you stay calm and take stock of your surroundings and situation to make a good choice. Panicking and running away from a bear is not the proper choice. This only engages the bear in a reaction of running after you. I am not a bear expert, so I won't try to tell you the "right" action to take (and that action may differ in each situation), other than to say that telling yourself "I Am Safe", will reduce the amount of fear you're emanating, and help you stay calm and make the right decision at that moment.
This same attitude will help in all situations. As you may have experienced, when we are caught up in fear or panic, our brain simply doesn't seem to work, and sometimes even our body freezes up. And our inner guidance can't be heard over the roar of our panic. So reminding yourself, and repeating over and over if need be, "I Am Safe" will help clear your energy so you can start to see clearly what your "right action" is to be.
"I am safe" will clear the way of fear, doubt, and fuzzy thinking. "I am safe" will help you start your next step from a place of clarity and positive energy. And since the Universe (aka God, Divine Energy, Universal Mind) says yes to everything you state, then affirming "I am safe" will be a command "from your mouth to God's ear".
From Start to Finish: "I Am Safe"
When our starting point is "I am safe", we are not losing our energy and our perception of life to a reality-distorting panic. When we see life through the eyes of fear, it's a lot harder to see the solution and to see clearly where the path is leading us. When we react in panic, we often jump to conclusions that may not be true.
I am reminded of the story of the person that, in the dark, mistakes a coiled up rope for a deadly snake. The gentleman is found dead, the next morning, next to the coiled up pile up rope.
Our fear lets us see things that are not there. It leads us to erroneous conclusions. It distorts reality and can then lead to the outcome or event that we fear.
What Works For Me
When I feel fearful of a potential outcome, I remind myself, over and over again if necessary, that "I am safe". This has a dual purpose. It helps calm me in the moment. And it also sends out the "I Am" message to the Universe. Since the Universe says yes to what we state, every "I Am" statement carries enormous power. Thus "I Am Safe" is a directive that not only reminds me of this ultimate truth, but it also helps "make it so".
Whatever the appearances around you, fear can be described as "False Expectations Appearing Real" or "False Evidence Appearing Real" or "Forgetting Everything's All Right". So whenever you feel fear or doubt or just not quite right about something, remind yourself: I AM SAFE.... and so it be!
Addendum: Just to show you how pervasive fear and doubt can be... When I went to do the final save of this article online to publish it, the "I am not a robot" check box came up. Sometimes when this happens, the article doesn't save. My mind's first reaction: "Oh, no! I hope I won't lose the last minute changes I made to the article."
The preferred response and, in this case, the next response? "I am safe". And since the article did save properly, there had been no reason for my heart rate to speed up and my adrenaline to pump, fearing the worst. I am safe helped me return to a calm head-space even while the results were unclear. I am safe may or may not change your future, but it changes your present in that it helps you stay calm and at peace, whatever the situation or outcome.
About The Author
Marie T. Russell is the founder of InnerSelf Magazine (founded 1985). She also produced and hosted a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner Power, from 1992-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal growth, and well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and reconnecting with our own inner source of joy and creativity.
Creative Commons 3.0: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License. Attribute the author: Marie T. Russell, InnerSelf.com. Link back to the article: This article originally appeared on InnerSelf.com
