Reappraisal
The most powerful method of all for responding to fear is Reappraisal. “Change the interpretation, [and] you change your underlying reaction to it,” says psychologist Matthew Lieberman. Reappraisal is a natural, instinctive process that we all engage in. “If you see someone in a picture who’s all bloody and banged up, and you think to yourself, ‘Oh, it’s just a Hollywood special effects scene, it’s not a real event,’ then it’s no longer distressing,” Lieberman points out. Studies have found that people who are able to think of events as challenging rather than threatening are able to cope better with their emotions, have more positive feelings, and are more confident. Compare reappraisal with the ineffective approach of trying to suppress your emotions, rather than change them through reappraisal. “Suppression is really not about changing your emotions per se, but about changing the appearance of your emotion,” Lieberman says. “It’s the grin- and- bear it approach, like when you say, ‘I’m not going to let my boss know how mad I am, or let my ex- girlfriend know how sad I am about our breakup. I’m just going to put on my stoic face.’ Suppression is good at preventing other people from seeing your emotion, but it’s a terrible strategy for actually reducing it. If anything it seems to actually amp it up a bit.” The Apostle Paul writing 2,000 years ago says ‘Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ In other ways reappraise don’t be afraid for God is with you. Invite someone to take a closer look at Christ and his church.
