I am so glad that I created this blog spot. I come here to vent, pen what's on my mind, and hopefully give you some encouragement, up-lift, and light in your life.
Here lately I have had a heavy mind. As I was reading my email messages this morning I happened to stumble upon this:
"Our fears are simply undiscovered parts of ourselves. The two emotions, Love & Fear are the opposites of each other. Love is the absence of Fear, and Fear is the non-recognition of Love. When we embrace what we are afraid of, shine light on the darkness of our Fear, we will see that only Love was there the whole time, but was unrecognized. This is the gift our Fears can give us if we know how to see them for what they truly are, a call to bring Love to the unknown."
- Jackson Kiddard
In school a couple semesters ago, I did some research on stress. Did you know that there is no such thing as stress? It's true! Stress comes from what our minds create for us. We upset ourselves with our own pattern of thinking. And my pattern of thinking has not been good. But I refuse to let myself talk myself into being upset (say that 5 times fast...).
- Jackson Kiddard
In school a couple semesters ago, I did some research on stress. Did you know that there is no such thing as stress? It's true! Stress comes from what our minds create for us. We upset ourselves with our own pattern of thinking. And my pattern of thinking has not been good. But I refuse to let myself talk myself into being upset (say that 5 times fast...).
Fear - A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc..., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
Did you pick out the key words in that definition? EMOTION, AROUSED, IMAGINED, CONDITION
But before I continue, let me tell you what my recent fear is. I have been attending school since January of 2009. Some of that time has been spent attending school while working, and some attending school while not working. My job was shipped overseas in November of 2009. My job ending date was October 29, 2009. Yes, I remember that day like it was yesterday. After spending 22 years with the same company, I felt like I was losing a limb. Since my job was sent overseas I was awarded by the Trade Adjustment Act. A program that the government provides to employees that are basically left with nothing, and had no choice in the matter. So I have received two years of schooling and benefits at the cost of our wonderful government. I have one more semester left and I will be graduating with my bachelor degree in supervision and leadership. Am I ready? NO I'M NOT! I say those words lightly (one more semester).....that is my present fear.
Therefore, I need to keep in mind that there is healthy fear and unhealthy fear. Unhealthy fear is being afraid of something that cannot actually harm you - spiders, or something that we cannot avoid like, the most common, getting old. Those fears serve only to make us unhappy and paralyze our will to keep moving forward.
Healthy fear is more in the medical aspect of things, like when a doctor tells you if you don't change your diet you will have a heart attack. You change your diet out of fear of that heart attack happening. That danger is real and there are constructive steps that can be taken to avoid it.
Healthy fear is more in the medical aspect of things, like when a doctor tells you if you don't change your diet you will have a heart attack. You change your diet out of fear of that heart attack happening. That danger is real and there are constructive steps that can be taken to avoid it.
Hence, it's good to know that my fear is healthy. All I have to do is change my (diet) routine. I will graduate (May 2012), step outside of my safety (home), and enter the working world once again. And also put into action what I have learned in school. There is always a solution to the fear feeling. Although, I will always be deathly afraid of spiders, and the solution to that, RUN!
We need to balance our fears. A balanced fear of our delusions and self-made suffering to which they give rise is healthy, because the balance will serve to motivate constructive action to avoid the imaginary stress dilemma. Stomping out fear is all in training the mind, taking action to change the fear, and finding your inner refuge, your inner strength, and even finding a spiritual healing. Don't let fear hold you back. And I will be coaching myself those exact same words as the month of May quickly approaches. YIKES!
We need to balance our fears. A balanced fear of our delusions and self-made suffering to which they give rise is healthy, because the balance will serve to motivate constructive action to avoid the imaginary stress dilemma. Stomping out fear is all in training the mind, taking action to change the fear, and finding your inner refuge, your inner strength, and even finding a spiritual healing. Don't let fear hold you back. And I will be coaching myself those exact same words as the month of May quickly approaches. YIKES!
Another quote that was brought to my attention today is,
"Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again..." - Simon & Garfunkel, "The Sound of Silence"
And since that little ditty is now implanted in my brain.....I will be singing it all day. Or maybe I should download it so I can listen to it over and over and over....This can be a useful tool in training my mind to not fear my out of reach concern.
Hugs for Always,
Angie
Oh boy. Sore subject. I loved the way you wrote about it and are thinking about how it affects you and your life. I never thought of fear as emotion until recently. It really is a FEELING isn't it? Not a thing. And knowing this can transform us. We all FEEL fear. I guess it's just part of the human condition. But we need to move through those feelings anyway don't we? As I get older, I realize how much I have allowed fear to hold me back in so many ways. I am not going to let it anymore.
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