There are moments in life that suddenly remind us how fragile our sense of normality can be.
One night, I opened my window and saw missiles in the sky. It was the first time in my life I had ever witnessed something like that. It was a completely new and frightening experience one I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
For two nights, I slept in the basement because I was overwhelmed with fear and panic. My body was reacting to something unknown, something my mind had never processed before. In those moments, I felt deep compassion for people around the world who have experienced similar situations, or even far worse.
At the same time, I also felt gratitude. I live in the United Arab Emirates, a country with strong systems in place to protect its residents. Knowing this helped me slowly move from panic toward perspective.
But the biggest realization came when I asked myself a simple question:
What do I do now with this fear?
The thought of leaving crossed my mind, but quickly I realized something very clear: my life is here. I have lived in the UAE for many years, and this place has become home. My work, my students, my community everything meaningful in my daily life exists here.
That was the moment I understood that what I needed was not escape, but resilience.
So I began to work on my inner state.
As many of you know, I am an NLP practitioner, and those tools helped me navigate this experience. I want to share a few simple things that helped me regain calm and balance.
Reframing the alarm
At first, the emergency alarm frightened me every time it sounded. My body immediately reacted with stress.
But then I started to consciously change the meaning of that sound in my mind.
Instead of hearing it as something threatening, I repeated to myself:
This sound is here to protect me. It is not here to scare me. It is here to keep me safe.
That small mental shift made a big difference. My nervous system slowly began to respond differently.
Using positive anchoring
Another technique that helped me was something we practice in NLP called anchoring.
I remembered a moment in my life when I felt completely safe, happy, and peaceful. I allowed myself to fully reconnect with that memory the feelings, the emotions, the sense of stability.
Then, whenever I felt panic or fear returning, I would mentally go back to that moment and recreate that feeling inside myself.
It was remarkable how quickly the nervous system could calm down when reconnecting with a memory of safety.
Living with awareness, not fear
Of course, I still take precautions. When the alarm sounds, I stay away from the windows. If I’m driving, I continue calmly and remain aware.
But the fear is no longer controlling my mind.
Instead, I choose to focus on something much more powerful: inner stability.
Creating our inner world
Life will always bring situations we cannot control.
But one thing remains in our hands: how we respond to them.
We all have the ability to create an inner world of strength, clarity, and faith even when the outside world feels uncertain.
For me, movement and dance have always been powerful tools to reconnect with that inner balance. Through the body, we release tension, reset our emotions, and return to ourselves.
In moments like these, the message that stays with me is simple:
Faith over fear.
Not because fear disappears completely, but because faith reminds us that we are stronger than we think.
And sometimes, the greatest resilience begins within.
Written by Marilyn Barrios
NLP & LIFE COACH, MASTER DANCE TEACHER, FOUNDER OF BELLY ART DUBAI, Bringing women worldwide a mindful approach to belly dance.
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