Overcoming Fear 1: Interview with Barry Hobbs.

This Lent we are running a project on ‘Overcoming Fear’ as part of Hope in Zion. So I’ve set about interviewing a range of people on the subject to find out how they deal with stress, fear and anxiety.

When I emailed Ex Sergeant Major Barry Hobbs, who’s previously exhibited art work on our stall in Southport, I knew I’d receive both inspiring insights and perceptive and practical advice, and that is exactly what I got!

If you’re struggling with fear, or just need an injection of hope then take a look at his interview:

Q: As an ex Sergeant Major in the British Army you must be well accustomed to facing fear, how did you deal with this? 

A: Training and knowledge was the key to dealing with fear as a soldier. We always trained for the most complex situation in the harshest environments time and time again. This helped you build a stronger barrier against fear, as it gave you strength both physically and mentally to believe, which dilutes the fear factor by turning it into a coping mechanism. Knowledge was the key for me, constantly evaluating the situation, negating possible scenarios, and passing that information on. The more the troops knew about possible scenarios, the better they were able to prepare for what lay ahead and what they may have to encounter. Them all being prepared both mentally and physically reduced the fear factor in myself and the whole team, as we then believed we as a collective or individual, could rely on one another to respond in each other’s best interests, to complete the task, and make sure we all made it home. Belief in your own ability and those that surround you helps you deal with your fear.

Q: Do you have a philosophy/mantra in life that helps you keep calm and at peace?

A: There is always someone worse off than yourself! We all get stressed by that bill we have to pay, the car that needs repairing, the cost of living etc. but even with all that, there is someone, somewhere, who won’t be going home tonight, children that will have to grow up without a parent, somebody who has an illness, somebody in real pain. I’ve been to some of the most deprived countries in the world, where children made a bag from a drainage ditch into a wind sock and were all smiles and laughter, because they didn’t have any toys to play with and this thing was great! So I try to always be thankful for what I have, not grumble about what I don’t. We’d all like more, it’s a natural human desire, for soldiers it’s a nice soft bed or to sit on a proper toilet, silly little things that make you thankful. So appreciate what you have, remember there is always somebody who is going to have a much, much worse day than you may be able to imagine.

Q: What tips do you have that might help people struggling to cope with stress?

A: Quite a bit of the above I’d say. Getting yourself all worked up about it doesn’t help. It increases adrenaline and makes the mind over analyse in most cases. Take a deep, deep breath, stressing is not going to help you solve your problem, only exaggerate it. To help yourself you need to try and think clearer. Get a piece of paper, write down the issues that are stressing you out and try to find a solution. Talk to other people or look on search engines, anywhere you can get an idea. Again write them down, then when you have a few solutions, speak again to friends, professionals. Give them your solutions or ideas and problems and see how they can help you. Remember a problem shared is a problem halved, because everyone you speak to may have a solution for you. It’s why the military worked so well in my eyes, you had plenty of people around you to talk to and even if they couldn’t help you, they knew someone who did. Bottom line, if something or someone is stressing you, talk to someone, a friend, someone on the phone, anyone. Just think, by sharing it, you’re on the way to reducing your stress by getting one step closer to a solution.