Courage

What is there to fear?

FDR had it right in 1933 when he famously said, “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” The dude rocked that one.

We’ll get back to fear in a moment, but first, let’s take a stroll down “what’s right in my life street” because gratitude and appreciation are two of the most vital connections we have with what matters and what is eternal in our hearts. Practicing gratitude is a great way to pivot out of fear.

Are you breathing right now? Is your heart beating? Can you see and hear?  

Do you have food in the cupboard and the fridge and access to clean water? Do you live in a free country? Do you have money in the bank and a roof over your head?

Do you have friends and family who love you? Do you have someone to love?

Did the sun rise today? Will it tomorrow? Are the air, water, and food that have supported you from the beginning still there? Will they be there tomorrow?

Can you feel your immensity, even just a little bit?

Whether you know it or not, countless things are going right for you at this very moment. You are breathing air that is perfectly designed for your existence and survival. Myriad chemical processes are happening in every one of your 50 trillion cells, supporting your quest to experience life and generate crazy amounts of love. Imagine 50 trillion separate entities collaborating on your behalf in utter perfection. Let’s face it- you are a freaking miracle.

It is easy to forget about the miracle of life we are. We get distracted by the noise in our heads and become victims of inner dialogue. Thoughts of fear, judgment, smallness, doubt, and anger feed on themselves and eventually on the body itself. These thoughts and the emotions they generate are not emanating from our essence; they are temporary and superficial states of being that we can alter and control. It’s not hard to do.

If a thought doesn’t feel good, stop thinking about it. Your guidance system always lets you know when you are on the right track or not by the way you feel inside and through physical sensations. Pay attention, do a little introspection, and choose your direction. It is 100% under your control.

Consciousness, with imagination as its lever, determines our reality, individually and collectively. For too long, we were in virus-panic-fear consciousness and continue to be in many respects, feeding immense energy to this beast every day. We could choose a different reality, but this is the predominant consciousness of humanity right now, and it is inertial. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy and how we create hell on Earth. I, for one, choose not to participate in it.

Fear is all about attachment to things, relationships, and even our lives and bodies, and this is where people tend to get a little crazy. We’re not meant to hold onto these things forever; no matter how hard we try, we can’t. So, why don’t we just stop trying?

The fear from which all other fears ultimately emanate is the fear of death, and this is what drives the insanity. It’s nonsensical. We are infinite cosmic beings living a very temporary human life, running around in these glorious machines made of meat and bone. So, people, freaking relax! It will all be over in the blink of an eye anyway; everything that feels so important will soon be dust.

So, what is the lesson? Everything in life exists to make us stronger and help us grow. Everything. And we will emerge from this stronger, regardless of external circumstances. We will know a little more about life and ourselves and will have shed some of the bullshit we thought was so damned important, things that took so much of our time, things that don’t matter at all. And maybe we’ll learn to appreciate better our gifts and the beauty that envelops us. Whether watching the birds outside the window or taking in the subtle pastels of a sunrise, it will all mean more than before. I hope we will emerge from this less fearful, selfish, and petty and be more willing to die and be reborn in every moment.

Eternity is now. Creation is forever, continuously showering us with all we need. Life flows through our veins and heart and into our lungs with every breath. It is unstoppable, unwavering, and complete. And you know what? So are you.

And nothing outside of you can change that. 

Let’s get on with it.