Getting Friendly with Fear

There's a lot of traditional wisdom about how to manage fear in our culture:

“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” (Susan Jeffers)

“Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.” (W. Clement Stone)

“Always do what you are afraid to do.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Basically, we're told to conquer our fear by pushing through it, to not let it dissuade us from what we want.

Sounds noble, but deliberate creators know fear is one of the lowest vibrations we can flow.  Moving forward with that energy isn't likely to attract high vibration results.

So what's a conscious creator to do?

Consider Abraham's take on how to handle fear:

“You don't move through fear.  You acknowledge it as guidance that what you're thinking is bogus.  To ignore your signals of fear is to ignore your guidance system.

"You want to focus on things so the fear dissipates.  But don't regard fear as unwanted, regard it as guidance that assists you in releasing the thoughts that aren't helpful and discovering the thoughts that are.”

(And what are the thoughts that are helpful?  The ones that feel better!)

Nearly all of my clients deal with some sort of fear in their manifesting projects:

Fear of online dating; fear of not making enough money; fear of declining health; fear of their proposal being rejected; fear of losing their home; fear of charging too much (or too little) for their services; fear of losing their partner; etc.

And I know it myself.  Almost every time I hit “publish” on a blog post or a newsletter like this, my little gremlin says “Are you sure you want to do that .. ?” My heart beats faster and sometimes I even break out in a sweat!

It's true that we won't live our best lives when we're stopped by fear.  But moving forward in active fear doesn't serve us either.

Here's what Abe suggests about it (Chicago, June 2011 workshop):

“How do you push through fear?  Don't. Just find little pieces of something that feels entirely different, and practice them until they're so active in your vibration that even scary things don't scare you.”

When I get nervous about publishing something, I dial off fear by remembering why I do this.  I love to share and inspire; I wouldn't be happy if I kept quiet; I get lots of positive feedback from folks when I do share; I believe in what I'm saying and I believe it's important to say.

Confidence, joy and inspiration grow pretty rapidly in thoughts like that; fear withers. 

And sometimes, when called for, I'll sit on an article for a while, waiting till it feels good to publish.  If it never does, it doesn't get published.  Because I know doing anything when fear is activated is inviting the sorts of things I don't want.

If you're making a high stakes phone call, or driving in bad weather, or sitting in the doctor's office – any time you feel fear creeping in, that's your signal to change your tune.  Find a thought that feels better before you move forward, and you'll find there really is very little to be afraid of after all. 

Let fear be your friend.  It'll guide you to stronger alignment when you learn to recognize the gifts it brings, rather than moving forward blindly despite it.

Jeannette Maw is the Good Vibe Coach and founder of Good Vibe University.  Find more of her manifesting inspiration at Good Vibe Blog.