Embrace Your Fear With Courage and See What Happens

Two exercises to help you grow beyond fear

The best thing about courage is you feel the benefit of having it the instant you use it.

Usually, I find myself with pockets full of courage.

It's like a positive feedback loop, and it feels incredible.

However, lately, I'm resistant to accomplishing tasks I set for myself due to fear of failure.

Even though I'm disciplined and achieved some mile-high goals, fear creeps in, and boom! Paralysis!

In other words, I am human, and so are you.

If courage is a muscle like any other, why do we still struggle?

Success in the past doesn't necessarily mean you won't struggle now.

So where is the bridge back to courage town?

Unconsciously, we feed fear daily.

The trouble is, your fears feed your fears.

It's a toxic cycle.

Everyone lives in fear to an extent — it's natural.

But the question is, how much is your fear costing you?

Is it costing you 1–2 hours of stress per day? 4–5? Do you lie awake in bed all night?

Eventually, it takes more energy to avoid what bubbles beneath the surface rather than letting it have its horror show moment.

The good news is courage feeds your courage.

First, you have to master the art of showing up for yourself.

How do you do that?

Start asking questions and be willing to feel uncomfortable because that’s how you know you’re on the right path.

What fear within you isn't worth hanging onto anymore?

Which fear eats away at your peace and drains your energy?

Here are some tools to help you grow beyond fear

Exercise #1

Show up and connect with yourself for 5 minutes every day.

Sit down and write a list of reasons why you’re afraid to do the thing you want to do until your reasons start to lose their value.

Do it for a week and see how difficult it is to keep pouring your energy into reasons why you think you can't do something or face a situation.

The key is to connect with yourself because that in itself is an act of courage.

As you drain your emotional well, lifelong patterns have the potential to shift, squirm and morph.

Courage sneaks in and fills your reservoirs with what used to be a constant loop of fear, reflecting on your past experiences.

Exercise #2

Ho'oponopono is an ancient Hawaiian meditation technique I use because it reminds me of how harshly and often I judge myself.

People say don't be so hard on yourself, but those words are hollow if you don't have the tools to do something differently.

When you find yourself recycling judgmental thoughts peppered with negative self-talk, replace them with these words.

"I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you."

I find it helpful to repeat this meditation at least five times because the more you say it, the more you chip away at the wall you built between the person you are and the person you think you should be.

Being kind to yourself is a practice worthy of you and your peace of mind.

Seek your courage.

Likely you need to make a conscious effort to find it, but once you do — it regenerates itself.

Courage is a currency you can use to expand your boundaries and reprogram lifelong patterns.

Change doesn't happen overnight, but if you keep knocking on the door, you're going to get answers.

These exercises help you stay in the present and release self-defeating behavior.

Find the courage to see what isn’t in focus yet because it’s there — it’s your potential.

Step off the ledge of illusory safety into your power.

Trust your future self to navigate your journey into the unknown.

What waits on the other side of fear?

Your freedom.

Nothing less than the freedom from the prison of your mind is at stake, so don't overthink it — step into your power.

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Check out this article by Esther George. It reminds us how valuable courage is in a world where love is the very act of world-building itself.