No Longer Afraid of Fear

Hi and welcome back to the Art of Onward!

It's been a few weeks since I've written here, and it feels great to return to you all.

Originally I had set September aside to be an exploration of the various aspects of forgiveness, and I'm going to bring that sequence to you soon, in a full month format because there's so much to explore there, but as you know, I meditate and pray over these posts for days before I write them, and I've been strongly led to talk with you about FEAR this week.

Perhaps because these past few weeks in my own life have primarily been about stepping past fear again and again. Stepping past, stumbling over, crawling under, pushing through.

Fear has had every opportunity to halt me in my tracks these past few weeks.

I'll explain with a few tidbits:

As they say, the only constant in life is change. And isn't that ultimately a beautiful element of life! As long as there is change, there is growth. I've always believed this to be true.

Most of you know I'm in the story telling and entertainment business as well - why?

Because I love story. It is powerful. It expands consciousness, it inspires. Studying the power of story is a great way to examine the value of change. Next show or movie you watch, notice that when a character discontinues their willingness to change/grow/evolve, they disappear from the story line. Change is key to having a character be interesting and valuable to the story.

And so it is with life as well.

Once we stop changing, we are stuck in the dark of maintaining current status quo. Like Feet in Mud.

A few weeks ago I wrote a trilogy sequence about Conquering Resistance - What does Resistance enjoy coming at us with? FEAR OF CHANGE.

Because Change equals Growth.

But knowing this doesn't really make it that much easier, does it? Fear can be debilitating, if we allow it to take hold.

A few weeks ago it was time to drop my youngest daughter off at University. A million miles away. Or so it feels. She's all the way on the East Coast, and we now have a 3 hour time difference.

Huge Change. Massive Fears.

Last week I was able to accept an offer on the house I've called my home for 14 years. This is where I raised my girls. I've never had the luxury of living anywhere this long in my entire life. Somehow, this home is the place where many of my roots are quite comfortably placed. I counted the moves I've made in my lifetime, and they came to around 30. So yes, 14 years is a long time to be in one place.

Huge Change. Many Fears.

Let's talk about the FEAR then. Fear of leaving my daughter, of returning home without her, unable to be close if she needs me (she doesn't, both my daughters are strong, resilient, powerful women), but the mommy part of me wants to be within reach so badly I offered to go live out on the East Coast for a few months just in case. She said no. :) Of course! As she should and, as I figured she would.

Another fear I face now is of driving away from the one home I've had in this life. Into the unknown. This fear is more exciting, in nature, but still carries emotional challenges.

There are a number of other fears trying to get at me these days, but let's move to the part of this conversation where we discuss how to continue moving forward.

FIRST - EVERYONE has fears. Yes, everyone. And hear this - FEAR IS A GOOD THING. It presents itself when we are growing past where we have been. It also, on a very basic level, warns us that change is coming and we should be prepared.

So yes, everyone has fears.

Fear in itself is not a bad thing - it is HOW WE REACT TO THE FEAR that can cripple us.

SECOND - ACKNOWLEDGE the fear. Be honest with yourself about it. Life can be downright terrifying on occasion, and hiding this fact just wastes valuable energy we should be putting toward moving onward in spite of its presence.

THIRD - MOVE ON ANYWAY. Like in the road sign picture above, visualize your fears. All of them. Name them if you can. Put them all in front of you and just look at them. There they are. Be aware of them.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR FEARS.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR EMOTIONS.

Stand back. Acknowledge. Honor. Understand. Notice how they are separate from you. They are actually not a part of you, they are there, in front of you.

Now, just step around them.

I say "just", but I know how difficult this can be. Do it anyway. See the fear, acknowledge the fear, and then step around it and move forward. There is so much life just past where you are standing right now!

Hold on to the Fire within your heart and soul, and follow it as you step around your fears. They'll follow you for a while until your refusal to give in to them silences them one by one.

Deep breath, Find the Fire and GO;

Step past, stumble over, crawl under, push through - but continue movement.

Fear has only as much power as we each give it - take your power back and feel that confidence for yourself. It is worth it. You are worth it.

COURAGE to you. And so much Love.

~Jewelle