Fear To Freedom

Fear, Anxiety, panic and depression…words that are all too common today!

In a world of instant gratification, access to every resource in your pocket and so many technological breakthroughs and we still walk around in FEAR!

Fear of economic destruction, fear of covid and other diseases, fear of offending someone and flat out fear of losing your freedom or your life!

Now you may say these are valid fears, yes?  I would have to agree that you would have every right to fear these things and the real question is…what does fear cost you?

Let’s look at what fear does:

1. Stops you from taking actions for the fear of (fill in the blank)
2. Makes you physically ill because fear creates a stress response in the body lowering your immune function (not my words but prove time and again by science)
3. Degrades your faith by taking away hopes and dreams.
4. Causes people to hate because of the fear of differences!
5. Keeps you playing small in the name of “safety”
6. Allows the unethical to gain control by fear AKA TERRORISM!

What is good about fear?

Healthy fear can save you from death or serious injury. 

For example fear of taking illegal drugs could prevent you from jumping off a building or driving intoxicated. These are healthy fears.

Fear in a child that if they steal they will get in trouble, again a healthy fear. Contrast that with the fear that OMG someone said on social media they didn’t like my hair, this is not a valid use of fear and one that paralyzes you!

Is anyone truly fearless? No!  The opposite of fear is courageous.  What is courageous? It is having some fear but taking action anyways to break through the fear!

Think of having to get up in front of a crowd and speak or sing.  Holy crap, this is scary! The fear driven person avoids this or worse yet “chickens out at the last minute”.  The courageous person goes OMG I am shaking at the knees and begins feeling like they are gonna die, but once they begin they pass a threshold where they never go back to that same fear again.

Remember the singer story from the video!

Fear and excitement are not opposite they ear parallel physiologically but not psychologically!

Many times fears amplify in the brain and you convince yourself you are (____) and the sad part is you begin to live the (______) .  Again remember the solider example from the video..

The courageous dies but one death where the coward dies 1000 deaths.  Our brains cannot and do not distinguish between reality and our perceived reality.

2 key points here are when it comes to death, you will die at some point but the good news is will happen only once unless you create it over and over in your head and number two every day is a gift that you are alive so take full advantage of every day and live it to the maximum as you will not get that day back.  Learn to live rather than focus on dying!

Summary of fear:

1. Can serve you if the threat is real. You should be afraid of driving the wrong way on the interstate!
2. Most fear is created from within and is generally not accurate as our minds create the worst case scenario.  Ie. The boss wants to see you and you think “am I getting fired” when in all reality you may be getting a raise or he may just have a question for you
3. Fear steals your freedom by stealing your focus, your faith and your commitment to take action.
4. Fear is not going to disappear rather use it as a warning sign that you are concerned and a green light that you need to take action. Fear only wins when it paralyzes you and freedom occurs when in faced with fear you take action and overcome the fear and also appreciate and grow from taking action!

Two questions to ask when you feel fearful:

1. What does this really mean?
2. What action do I need to take?

I leave you today with a choice to live a life of fear or a life of freedom. Which path are you going to take?  It doesn’t mean life will not have challenges but what it does mean is life will either feel like a prison or a mission!

Which will you choose?

FEAR False evidence that appears real

FEAR Force above all ridiculousness

Step up my friends and take your life in to your own hands and do not let anyone else especially the media control your thinking, make you fearful nor rob you of your freedom!