Waking up this morning to the news that the world woke up to was horrible. I have no words to explain why one person could choose to inflict such utter devastation on so many innocent lives. Children's lives. Innocent children.
I was watching the live coverage this morning with my 4 month old baby in my arms wondering what sort of world she is going to grow up in. I watched the raw emotion Susanna Reid shared (as a mum herself) with the nation on GMB. There were images and messages of support all over social media. I then came to my clinic and for my clients who already suffer with anxiety, this latest act of terror has sent their anxiety levels rocketing.
Maybe it's because it's so close to home and the fact that they (whoever 'they' are) decided to inflict their terror on innocent young people. And maybe it's because it happened in a music arena, what was once deemed a 'safe' place is now a place of potential danger. And maybe it's because of the digital age that we now live in, it's there, everyone is talking about it. There is no escaping the graphic footage of the incident as it happened, the victims being carried away and the first hand accounts from the people who were there, and survived, live from the scene. I'm sure it's a combination of all of the above.
If you suffer with anxiety, the world is already a dangerous place for you and yesterday's terror attack will have just made your world an even more dangerous one to live in. In the face of such horrific acts, it's absolutely vital that we don't give into fear, but remain strong and resilient. That's exactly what terrorism wants to achieve. It wants to create fear.
And what does fear do to us ?
It makes us feel vulnerable. It makes us want to prepare for potential threats. It makes us make our own bit of the world as safe as we possibly can and by doing so, our bit of the world gets smaller and smaller. We start avoiding places, we stop doing things. We avoid life for fear of what might happen.
But living in constant fear is not living your life.
If you are struggling today, try limiting your exposure to what you are reading and watching on TV and social media. Talk through your fears with loved ones. Put your fears and worries into perspective. Don't fuel the hate. Be kinder. Love more. Be human. Honour those who have had their lives taken by respecting your own freedom and don't let the fear get in. Keep calm and carry on.
Manchester we stand with you.
Catherine Asta Labbett, Catherine is a women only psychotherapist, relationship and life coach, based in Yorkshire, in the U.K and helps women get their sparkle back.
www.bringingsparkleback.co.uk