FEAR

Here is an acronym Anne Lamott taught me during her interview on the Tim Ferris Show podcast today:

FEAR = Fear Expressed Allows Relief.

There is so much power in expressing what is troubling you, no matter how trivial or unbearably large. Writing it down or saying it out loud has this magical ability to put it back into its place or turn it on its head. At the very least, it takes it out of your mind and puts it some place else.

Here’s another acronym Lamott mentioned in her interview with Tim Ferris:

Future Events Already Ruined.

As someone prone to anxiety, this one made me laugh out loud. Do you ever skip ahead about 6 steps to the inevitably bad outcome and become frozen in anticipation of all of the bad that might happen? I do. It’s tiresome.

Tim Ferris is a bit of expert on this subject and offers up some excellent advice in his TED talk here. I watched this years ago and didn’t put two and two together that it was the same guy saying the same thing. When I experience coincidences or recurrences on a theme like that I try to pay attention.

It’s a great listen if you have a moment. And if you don’t have a moment, then jot down these acronyms courtesy of Anne Lamott and the sober community for the next time you feel fear creeping in.