Fear is misunderstood.
We learn that fear is bad, and happiness is good. We run away from fear and toward happiness. But what is fear, if not a few sensations in the body coupled with a few thoughts?
We are the creators of our own fear, yet we believe we are the fear. We put up filters that we see the world through, and we get these filters from our experiences in life. We form meaning from them, and we approach the world through them.
If someone had bad experiences in life, they will see the world as bad, unless they choose not to. Easier said than done. You are not your fear is the message I want you to get from this article.
- Welcome
When fear arises, simply welcome it. Most people try to push it away, they resist fear, and they want to get rid of it. This causes friction and it makes it worse. I bet you’ve tried this. How has it been working out so far? Not so well, right?
You might want to try something new, so try the opposite. Embrace the fear, and allow it to be what it is.
- Learn
What is your fear teaching you? Is there a hidden lesson inside your fear? Perhaps it is showing you a deeper part of yourself that you have not wanted to face until now.
Fear may seem scary but that is because we’ve put the label fear on it. If we remove the label, fear is just sensations and energy moving in your body. From that we make up our own conclusions and fuel it by creating horror stories of what has been and what might be.
- Observe
Observe your fear and notice any patterns that pop up. Are you constantly afraid of not having security, getting approval or not feeling loved? Look at the patterns your fears point you to, and become aware of the options you have in front of you.
You can change the way you live your life. It can happen consciously, or it can happen unconsciously. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it feels right for you.
- Fuel
When you are doing something you love, you have fuel to conquer the fear. If you love writing, but know that you have no writing skills whatsoever, and you’re afraid of what people may think, you will find the fuel to blow through the fear.
How could you not? It is what you enjoy, so how could you not take action and move through the fear?
Most people let fear stop them. They believe fear is real, but it isn’t. I know it may feel real, but just observe it, welcome it, and let it be there, and notice what happens.
- Truth
Have you ever been scared out of your mind about something, done it anyway, and discovered that the world didn’t end? That’s how fear works, it makes it seem like it’s the actual event or thing that you’re afraid of, but what you’re really afraid of is your thinking.
Just for today, I’d like to suggest an experiment.
What I want you to do is observe your feelings and thoughts during the day. Notice that they live their own life. You cannot predict what thought will pop in your head, so just observe what goes on, and notice that you are not your thoughts, nor are you your emotions.
It’s a radical perspective, but it will free you from the suffering that so many are trapped in. you can be free, but you have to step out of the box you’ve created for yourself.
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Written on 2/15/2012 by Henri Junttila. Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where he shares his personal tips on how you can live the life you know you deserve. When you feel ready to take action, get his free course: How to Find Your Passion (And Build a Business Around It). | Photo Credit: StewC |
