FINE!
You stay in your prison of fear,
with bars made of hopelessness.
And all you get are three square meals a day of shame!
Kung Fu Panda 2
We evidently use F words to describe our feelings. Sometimes feeling of anger, resentment, frustration, fear, guilt, blame and so on.
Lets us take fear for example it is a fantastic emotion. Fear is an emotion that can paralyse us into inaction. We all face it on a day to day basis, at different levels. Losing loved ones, losing a job, losing money, respect, our possessions, aging, death, public speaking, being lonely, not being able to express ourselves creatively. And the biggest fear is dying with our music still inside us.
Is it even possible? Can we leave this planet and transcend without fulfilling our purpose? I don’t think so! I feel innately that we are all sent here on purpose. I remember being haunted by this feeling of purpose while I was growing up and I know that I share this feeling with many people. I knew that my life has a purpose and meaning much deeper than learning about war dates, solving equations, formulas, knowing different languages, making money, driving another car, going out with that guy, having bigger house, social acceptability and so on.
So, what can we achieve in absence of fear? The possibilities are endless. May be deep down that is our biggest fear. May be we fear our own magnificence. We know that if we can fly in sky, dive deep in sea, connect everything using algorithms, create virtual world in front of our eyes, build skyscrapers. we can do anything. How can we ever measure our limitlessness? We know that we are here to achieve excellence and not mediocrity.
It’s time to harness this fear into something bigger and life affirming. Here are some practical aspects to guide you-Thank your fears. Be grateful for their existence. Fear is our ego trying to protect us.
Identify the fear, where is coming from. Is it yours or have you picked it from a well-meaning authority figure? Since all behaviours are learnt, which experience it is mirroring in your life?
Take small steps each day. Move out of your comfort zone inch by inch each day. Inch seems too big? Consider going by centimetres, and move out.
Don’t scare yourself with the outcome. I recently read a bestselling book- FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY by Sussan Jeffers, She writes that, “Security is not in having things, it is in handling things.”
Replace your what-ifs.. with “I can handle it”. It immediately transports us from suffering to empowerment. Replace your F as in fear with F as in Faith.