Fear. It’s a topic I revisit often on my podcast, because it can be a confusing one, especially since fear can sometimes be a helpful emotion. For example, fearing the pain that will happen if I touch fire helps alert me to the danger of fire.

While it’s an important emotion that can alert us to pay attention to what’s going on around us, it is also something that can misguide us. For example, when I was a kid, I had a BUNCH or irrational fears, and many of them centered on stories and movies that always popped up this time of year.

So, what better time to revisit this topic than the month we most commonly associate with fear – October.

Welcome to Deconstructing Gaslighting, the podcast. I’m your host, Sarah Morales. In addition to the self-paced programs I have on my website designed to help you find your answers around gaslighting, I wanted to let you know about a special workshop I’m doing next month - Take Back the Holidays. Save the date: Nov. 16th.

Story Time: Sarah discusses the difference between fear based on "real" vs. imagined threats; why we need to be able to sort through things to recognize the difference; complications with sorting out which type of fear we are experiencing; and of course, fear that intersects with gaslighting– fear that is connected with gaslighting:

Top Take-Aways:

1. Get clear about "the story I’m making up"... ask yourself if this a likely outcome? – if so, what options/choices do I have to change things and/or protect myself?
2. "Head, Heart, Gut" check – Check out podcast episode: Season 2, Epi 22, May 28th – "I should’ve listened to my gut".
3. Asking yourself: if I face this fear, is it because of an opportunity for growth? If not, ask "why am I facing it/pushing through it?"– good distinction to flesh out potential coercion
4. Remember: "Where focus goes, energy flows"

• If you have determined it's not a "real threat", ask yourself one of the following questions: What would be the opposite of fear that I would rather be feeling? If I could tap into my “higher self” in this situation, how would they feel/handle this? And then borrow those things from your higher self.

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And remember – you may have crashed and burned; been broken and hurt, but damn it, you’re a phoenix and you’re rising again. I think it’s time we fly.