Alzheimer’s terrified me, but never more so that when I was caring for my mom. Fear is a crippling emotion that causes excessive worry, anxiety, and the feeling of dread. Left unattended it can lead to depression, and strip us of the courage we need to live our best life.
Chase fear away by facing it head on. Name it, say it out loud, “I am terrified of developing Alzheimer’s”. Often when we acknowledge our fears out loud, they begin to lose some of their power over us.
Begin your day with short inspirational readings, really anything that speaks to you and lifts you up. This helps set the tone for the rest of your day.
Develop a mantra whenever a negative thought crosses your mind. One I often used when caring for my mom came from 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give me this spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self control”. This is also works when you aren’t angry, frustrated, etc., just substitute the word fear, for whatever word represents the negative feelings you are experiencing.
Another good mantra is from psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God”. I say this slowly, and often during the day, it is comforting and brings peace in the midst of whatever stress or craziness is occupying my world.
There are many good books out there on how to counteract fear and depression is, but the one that really resonated with me is “The Battlefield of the Mind”, by Joyce Meyer. My husband and I read this while we were going through a particularly difficult season, and it really helped us to transform our thinking, and redirect reoccurring negative thought patterns.
Give yourself a chance to overcome fear and depression by first getting good sleep, eating healthy foods, meditating and exercising. Try to get outside each day, breath in some fresh air, connect with other people, enjoy the flowers, watch the neighborhood kids play.
Love generously, and laugh often! Live your life!
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