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Fear is undoubtedly one of the strongest and most influential emotional responses we have, and it can act as both a protective and destructive force depending on the situation.
Obviously, fear can help us avoid dangerous situations, triggering the “fight or flight” response when we feel threatened. Unfortunately, this same response can also be triggered when no real threat exists. We simply find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and anxious even when we know logically that no harm will come to us.
For many of us, fear can become a serious hindrance in our lives, preventing us from getting a better job, meeting eligible life partners, seeking medical care, or even venturing outside our homes in severe cases.
Fear is one of the most common reasons that people hold back on living the life of their dreams. Even if they intensely want to create better circumstances, they may struggle with an overwhelming fear of failure, so they refuse to take risks because they may have to endure unpleasant outcomes. In these cases the risk of failure seems to outweigh the benefits of success, so they hold back and do nothing.
Fear of success can be a powerful hindrance as well, making people feel stressed and overwhelmed with the added responsibilities that would probably come with greater success. They may fear not being able to handle those responsibilities, or worry that they’d feel pressured to keep attaining the same level of success in the future. These fears are often enough to cause people to sabotage their own efforts, even when they sincerely want to become more successful. Either way, fear is strong enough to paralyze most of us – whether the things we fear are real or imagined.
Fear and Love Cannot Co-Exist
By nature, fear and love act in conflicting ways in our lives. Fear is restrictive, repressive and limiting. Love is expressive, abundant and free-flowing. Fear contracts, love expands. Fear retreats, love forges new pathways. Fear is closed off and stagnant, love is open and vibrant. Because of the reflective nature of our universe, the mindset you most often hold will be mirrored in your every experience and in every person you encounter.
When you live your life from a mindset of fear, you are bound to see that same quality of stagnation and repression everywhere. Your opportunities will seem smaller or more restrictive (or even non-existent). The people you interact with daily will probably seem more reserved, less generous, and less caring. Even your work will seem repressed, perhaps boring or unfulfilling; and your income may shrink in proportion too.
On the other hand, when you begin living your life from a mindset of love, everything around you seems effusive and joyful. The people you meet seem warmer, kinder and jovial. Opportunities come rushing forth to meet YOU, rather than you having to chase after them, and your work will probably seem more fulfilling and enjoyable – not to mention more profitable.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be highly spiritual or “enlightened” to live from love rather than fear. All it takes is a simple shift in mindset to create big changes in your outer world. The following article shares a very simple and effective way to shift from fear to love instantaneously: Worry and Love Cannot Occupy the Same Space
The Three Universal Fears
In his book, The Divine Matrix author Gregg Braden writes, “The root of our “negative” experiences may be reduced to one of three universal fears (or a combination of them): abandonment, low self-worth, or lack of trust.”
When you think about it, all of the fearful responses you have in life probably correspond to one or more of these three universal fears. You may fear being alone, being rejected, or not being good enough; you may have a difficult time trusting other people, the universe, or your own strengths and abilities.
The good news is that fearful thought patterns like these are simply habits that we are taught as children or develop on our own in adulthood. And like all habits, they can be changed with just a little bit of determined effort.
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