FEAR = Fall. Emerge. Act. Rise.
Why write a blog? What could I possibly have to say that would make a difference in anybody's life? How could I think that my words would be worthy of people spending precious time reading them? Where do I get off believing that my journey could benefit another human being? Each of these questions have been formulated directly from fear. Fear of being judged, fear of not being good enough, fear of rejection.
From our earliest days we are conditioned by our families, our teachers, our peers and society in general to listen to that inner critic and give it credence. We internalize that voice that insists we must conform to what and who everyone else wants us to be. At times, this voice becomes so integrated in us that we become paralyzed. It causes us to become small and hide who we truly are. Eventually, after years of being mentally beaten down by this monster in our head, we don't even know who we are anymore. In essence, we are spiritually dead.
What is so insidious about fear is that the only way to ever get a handle on it is to face it, which is the exact opposite of the common reaction to fear. But life has a funny way of giving you multiple opportunities to learn the lessons that fear is offering, and disregarding them will only ensure more misery. Sadly, many people either ignore these moments when they arise, or they are simply not paying attention and miss them entirely.
If you take a brief scan of your life, you will certainly recall challenges that you have come up against. They may have been quite trivial events or monumental occurrences. Regardless of the size or scope of the trials you have faced or currently face, they are always showing up for the same reason...transcendence. Sometimes an issue that arises is a mere blip on your landscape, while other times it can rock you to your core. More often than not, these life challenges are seen in a negative light. We can't fathom the idea that something we consider bad or even catastrophic could actually be a gift from the universe pushing us to become some greater version of ourselves. Yet, that is precisely the reason they exist...to be constant, nagging messages whose purpose is to connect you to the essence of the person you once were...before fear won the day.
Facing fear head-on can be the most difficult thing you can imagine...until you actually do it. That is the beauty of surrendering and looking fear straight in the eye; once you do it the power it has over you melts away. It may sound counterintuitive, but it really is that simple.
We are all born perfect little beings with no sense of being bad, or wrong, or different. As we grow, we buy into the narrative that to be embraced and loved we must behave in a certain way, dress in an acceptable manner and hold certain societal beliefs, but this is entirely out of alignment with our soul's purpose. Each of us has unique gifts to bestow on this planet, yet in order to connect with your purpose, you must break out of the bondage of your fearful prison. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your soul is the one thing that would get you labeled as crazy, and for this reason the majority of people on Earth will never realize their soul's true purpose.
What greater regret would there be than to arrive at the end of your life and wish you had followed your heart's desire? How incredibly tragic would it be for your life to go unexplored because you were not willing to step outside of the box that society had constructed around you? How devastated would you feel if the only thing that held you back was the fear you have created in your mind by the stories you have on repeat day after day?
The universe will continue to place obstacles in your way. You can choose either to run and hide in an attempt to avoid the pain, or you can choose to surrender to the underlying fear that is causing these tribulations in the first place. The process can be gut-wrenchingly painful, but the serenity that exists on the other side of fear makes it the most worthwhile experience of your life. If you trust the process, you will experience a miraculous cycle. You may feel as though you have Fallen into the pits of hell at first, then you will Emerge...a bit scarred but still intact, the new knowledge that you amass will cause you to Act towards your life in a different manner, and in the end you will Rise into the perfect, whole being that is the real you....that has always been you.
Go ahead...what are you afraid of?