Every moment offers a choice to move from fear to love. Our habitual pattern is to react to fear with tightness in the body, a closed heart and make choices from a place of fear. Mindfulness and meditation can support us in letting go of fear and opening to love.
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” –Ambrose Redmoon
Often these fear based choices keep us stuck and don’t create the sense of security or safety that we desire. Whatever we rest our attention on grows. When we feel afraid, if we become lost in the swirl of fearful thoughts in response to things that pose no real threat, the fear increases. When we bring awareness to this habit in the moment, acknowledge whatever with interest and kindness and then turn the attention toward love, the body softens, the heart opens and the feeling of love grows.
Recognizing Fear with Compassion
Fear feels like tightness in the body, armoring around the heart, doubting and distrustful thinking. Getting stuck in patterns of fear can keep us isolated and feeling alone. Isolation isn’t good for our mental health or our physical health and wellness.
Choosing Love
Love feels like a softening body, an opening around the heart space, feelings of safety and security, and a desire to connect. Love keeps us reaching out to connect with other people. Love feels like understanding that we all need one another in order to thrive. Love feels a sense of trust in those who love us well.
Will you choose to stay in fear to protect yourself? Or will you choose to move from fear to love?
Warmly,
Jen
Jen Johnson teaches mindfulness workshops