How to Harness Your Fears and Cultivate Courage
Fear is a powerful motivator that can breed doubt, anger, judgement, aggression and drive our actions to that end.
But fear is also the root of courage and can give birth to deep trust. It is a strong pointer to what matters to us. Truly, if we care to look deep enough, at the root of our fear is the need for love.
Bringing fear into the light of our awareness is one of the most powerful actions we can take to meet these wild times.
For when we do, we can not only, stop its unconscious momentum towards cowardice or violence, but we can also milk the nectar from this beautifully informative emotion. This is how fear grows to become an expression of courage, rather than aggression, or doubt.
This work takes a lot of humility and strength. It’s both hard and humbling to harness the power of fear, then pull the reins back, and dare to see that huge, agitated horse. But when we do, the horse of fear can stop running for its life.
Then, we can see the squeeze under which it has been made to run, and the whip that has kept it frantic for so long. Once calm in our steady presence, we can acknowledge this horse as the dashing, loving creature it is. The bigger perspectives we gain when we peel back the layers of our fears are both illuminating and empowering.
However, we live in a world that profits from our strong, primal unconscious fears. And the key to keeping those profits rolling in, is that our fears continue to fly below the radar, so they can drive unconscious spending. It is for sale, how we spend our attention, time, money, energy, perspectives, votes, voices and the list goes on.
Simply put, when we are in a state of fear, our survival instincts kick in and access to our conscious, rational thinking is radically diminished, or entirely cut off. Here, we become rash, impulsive and much easier to control.
However, fear is also a beautiful part of our human nature. When made conscious, it can be harnessed in a way that is skillful and courageous. So how do we break this unconscious, impetuous cycle?
5 Steps to Harness Your Fear and Cultivate Courage
Now let’s be clear, I am not talking about the kind of fear that arises when there is an imminent threat to your survival (i.e. a bear is chasing you in the woods, or you find yourself in a violent situation.) In an instant like this, it is helpful for fear to trigger your survival instinct so that you can fight, take flight, or freeze.
However, bringing conscious awareness to the fear that arises in the face of a perceived threat offers us the possibility for true personal growth, rather than mere survival. These are fears like: fear of public speaking, fear of “others”, fear of uncertainty, fear of not being enough, fear of being out of control, fear of different perspectives, fear of missing out, fear of what others think, etc.
Here are the simple steps to move through fear to courage.
Remember, fear is the genesis of courage and a perfectly normal, human emotion.
Find steady ground.
Notice when fear is present and how it feels.
Reflect on the wisdom of fear.
Allow the heart of your fear, your own deepest longings, to inspire conscious, courageous choices.
Step 1
Remember, fear is the genesis of courage and a perfectly normal, human emotion.
The first, most crucial, step to growing courage from our fears, is to simply acknowledge this truth – again and again. This gives us the opportunity to set aside our fear of fear itself. It also allows our fears to come out of hiding so that we can see, and explore them.
Step 2
Find steady ground.
To embark on the profound journey of exploring our human emotions, it is important to establish a sense of calm abiding. There are lots of tools and techniques that can help, for example: a few minutes of daily meditation, getting out in nature, taking several conscious diaphragmatic breaths. Take 10 minutes every day to establish a sense of calm.
Step 3
Notice when fear is present and how it feels.
When we feel triggered, or upended by our emotions in some way, there is a good chance that fear is present. So, these moments of trigger provide the perfect opportunity to work with our fears.
All you have to do is notice that you are triggered and that fear is present. Recognize that you are actually safe, and perhaps take a few deep breaths to establish a pause. Then simply notice how fear feels in your body. Explore sensations, without the story of the fear.
Where do you feel the strongest sensations, in your throat, belly, chest, head, etc? What do these sensations feel like, hot, sharp, dull, numb, etc? Do they have a texture, color, etc?
Just get curious about the sensations and allow yourself to feel them. Using a tender, loving touch on the most intense sensations can feel nourishing throughout this process.
Step 4
Reflect on the wisdom of the fear.
Now that an atmosphere of gentle awareness has been established and your fear is welcome, get curious. Begin to ask your fear questions like: Where did you come from? Why are you here? What are you trying to protect me from, or get for me? What is your greatest need and why?
Simply get curious about the root of the fear, and the needs you have that it is trying to meet. Stream of consciousness writing can help facilitate this process. Try this: write a letter to yourself from your fear and just see what it has to say. You may be surprised by the sweet, deep-seated needs your fear can help you to reveal.
Step 5
Allow the heart of your fear, your own deepest longings, to inspire conscious, courageous choices.
Consciously choose to engage yourself and your life from the heightened perspective, derived from your fear, that remembers what truly matters.
Conclusion
It’s really that simple.
To cultivate courage from your fears, simply own, allow, explore, and understand them. Then consciously choose to act from a place of understanding and courage.