Fear
In recent days, several drones from Ukraine have crossed into Latvia. Sirens in border regions, schools have cancelled classes, exams have been interrupted. People are unsettled, officials’ explanations contradict each other, the minister (and the government) is falling. More drones keep flying, and panic is spreading on social media.
Four years ago, when russia invaded Ukraine, we saw a similar reaction here — back then I recorded a longer video about what happens to us in moments of crisis. How fear works. The situation is somewhat different now, but the fear mechanism hasn’t changed. Let me revisit a few of the main points:
In a crisis, any reaction is normal
A crisis means we’ve been knocked off our usual tracks. The system reacts automatically, however it knows how — some get anxious, some freeze, some get angry, some feel relief or even excitement. All these reactions are normal. That said, not all of them are equally helpful.
Fear helps us survive, not live
Fear is a built-in mechanism. For thousands of years it helped people survive — those who were afraid were better at avoiding danger, so they lived and taught their children to be afraid. We are their descendants. Fear helps us survive, but living in fear lowers the quality of life. The more fear, the lower the quality. To live well, something must be done with fear.
Fear and the news
Fear needs time. A person who is inside a catastrophe and actively responding doesn’t feel afraid — there’s no time. Fear comes afterwards. What activates in us is what could be called the meerkat — that little animal that stands on its hind legs and looks around for the source of danger. We look where the information is — in the news, on social media.
The problem is that the news contains a disproportionate amount of horror and suffering, and comparatively little information about what to do. In conditions of uncertainty, imagination takes over and produces even more fear.
Freezing and panic
Fear can take us in two directions, both unproductive. The first — freezing. Inability to act, lack of energy, shutting down. The second — panic. Chaotic, aimless activity. “Just do something!” — and the person does something foolish.
But fear also has a productive side. It mobilises us toward two things: vigilance (I watch what is actually happening around me) and preparation (I prepare for what might come). The latter is the more important — it gives the energy meaning and channels it into purposeful action.
Concrete steps for preparation
We can use fear productively — as a mobilisation tool.
- Pack a 72-hour bag (sargs.lv, the Latvian state preparedness portal, has a checklist)
- Prepare copies of your documents
- Build plans A, B, C — where to go, what to do, what to take, who to contact
- Learn your loved ones’ phone numbers by heart (a phone can die or be lost)
- Coordinate plans with family — where they will be, where the children and parents will be
Doing this, the energy gets a direction. Fear diminishes — externally, the situation stays the same, but the inner state has shifted to active, purposeful readiness.
Fear shrinks our care for others
This may sound harsh, but it is true: fear is egoistic — it’s about me and mine. That is the fear mechanism — no judgment, no condemnation. The more attention I give to myself, the more space there is for fearful fantasies.
There is an old story: a student asked his teacher — what should I do when I am afraid? The teacher answered: “Encourage others!” Teaching others not to be afraid, we teach ourselves. By caring for others, I also take care of myself.
Emotions are contagious
Fear is contagious — we feel it in a room where someone is tense. The good news: peace is contagious too. So is kindness. So is courage. When you meet a person who is in fear, stay especially calm. Let them catch the peace from you, rather than you catching their fear.
This applies especially to parents with children, leaders with their teams, teachers with students, public figures — any situation where others are looking at you.
Three things worth remembering
An old prayer, in my paraphrase: grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change; the courage to change what I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.
What can I actually do? Not nothing. Not everything. Some things I can, some I can’t. I won’t stop drones from flying today. I won’t stop the war. But how I respond to events, what I do with my inner state and my actions — that I can influence. That is my work — choosing my response to what is happening in the world. Choosing to multiply peace and clarity, rather than panic and fear.
One more reminder: this too shall pass. All crises pass. Covid ended. This war will end too. While we are in it — let us choose kindness, care, help, humour in our daily life. That is what makes us human.
The full video
The above is a short retelling. The recording with a detailed explanation of the mechanism — why fear needs time, how memory and imagination form the basis of fear, what it means to “practise peace” — is below. Recorded in 2022 (in Latvian). The principles haven’t changed.
If you want to develop these skills
The work of inner readiness — a mind that can stay calm under pressure — is a matter of training. My ready-made courses are in Latvian. For English-speaking individuals and groups, lectures, seminars, and courses can be arranged on request — tailored to your context and needs.
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