Freedom from fearful thinking…
“I’ve learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom – how great is that?” – Soledad O’Brien
On return from an amazing trip to Italy, I found myself reflecting on the changes I am seeing in my life since coming to understand how my mind works.
Life’s challenges.
In the past most people who know me would describe me as easygoing, what they couldn’t see was the deep fear I was masking about the next potential challenge life might bring.
Having been through some very tough times in the past, I felt a strong desire to protect my family from any further suffering. Believing if I could control and fix everything around us, it would keep us safe.
This was usually amplified when traveling, with my stress levels would going up as I visualised worst-case scenarios that could happen to us.
Over the years my husband and kids learned it was best to leave me be on the day we were traveling. I found myself checking and rechecking we had everything we could possibly need.
It was only when we were sitting on the plane, I could finally take a breath and relax, at least until we got to our destination.
Are you sensitive to the energy around you?
Arriving at our hotel I would need a little settling in time, wanting to get a feel for the place. While this might sound strange, I have always been very sensitive to energies around me and can usually pick up on a sense of danger or safety from my surroundings.
However, what I’ve come to realise is I had been living in a state of hyper-vigilance, always watching out for the slightest sign of trouble. None of which makes for fun times, but especially so on holiday.
This realisation came shortly after a coaching program with Michael Neill called “The effortless path to change” in which Michael described our most natural state of being as one of light-heartedness. When we are in this natural state, beyond our conceptual mind, it brings feelings of peace and a deep sense of calm.
How many hours in your day are you at quiet peace?
This hit me like a lightning bolt as I remembered the many times I had felt this way in the past, and not understanding this was our natural state of being, I spent years seeking this beautiful feeling.
However, I had been unaware it was always there, just under the surface of all the worrisome thinking I had been doing.
And so, fast forward two years, I have just had the most amazing holiday experience, overcoming long-held fears of deep water following a near-drowning in Bali. Finding myself on a speed boat crossing the beautiful Lake Garda.
And while the familiar, worrying thoughts of all that could potentially go wrong entered my mind, I let them slip on by. No longer feeding my paranoia, I enjoyed the wind and sea spray that was washing over me as I gave my attention to the beautiful views along the shoreline we sailed past.
As we tied up to a buoy, I was surprised to find myself joining my family in jumping off the back of the boat, something I could not find the courage to do with them in the past.
Overwhelmed by fearful thoughts.
For full disclosure, when we first sped up out of the harbour, my hands gripped tightly to the seatback in front of me, which brought back a memory of a previous holiday.
Having hired a jet ski, I suddenly found myself overwhelmed by a fear of falling into the sea. When I woke up the next day the muscles in my arms were aching from having held on so tightly to my husband as he excitedly skipped over the waves.
I knew if I didn’t loosen my grip on the boat, the same would happen again, as I let go and relaxed my body I began to move with the flow of the boat on the water.
In those moments I realised just how rigid I had become in my life, keeping a tight grip on everyone I loved. In the belief, it would keep us safe.
Get in flow with life.
Instead, I had been holding us all back, missing out on the fluidity and flow of life. I knew I had made some changes and had begun to let go, but this holiday was proving just how far I had come.
In the past, I had been completely limited by my fear of the “what if” thoughts that always seemed to invade my mind, instead of going with the flow of the endless opportunities life brings. Over-analysing opportunities often led to them slipping by.
I was determined to change this pattern. On completion of my Diploma in Life Coaching, I set myself a challenge of living more bravely. Starting with saying yes to opportunities that “felt” right for me. I also refused to listen to any insecure thoughts about whether I had made the right decision that would inevitably follow.
Are you stuck in your comfort zone?
I also strived to do things beyond my comfort zone. In the knowledge, I have innate resilience and a deep knowing that no matter what life brings, I am always okay.
As we made our way back to shore, I sat hands-free watching the sunlight sparkle across the water like diamonds. Basking in a beautiful sense of freedom, tranquillity, and an expansive sense of oneness with all. A feeling I am becoming very familiar with as I’ve learned to let my mind and body surrender into the quiet stillness innate in all.
In those moments I also realised I was no longer afraid of my thoughts. I had finally broken free of the chains of habitual, fear-filled thinking that had been keeping me from living and loving life to the full.
If you would like to work with me to explore this further, consider contacting me at [email protected] to book a free discovery call. Read more about where our feelings are coming from here, https://angelamcevitt.com/discover-the-truth-behind-where-your-anxious-feelings-are-coming-from/
Thanks for reading.
Angela
Namaste- I honour the place in you, in which the entire universe resides. I honour the place in you, of love, of light, of truth and of peace. And when you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.