Battle Your Fears (Part 1 – Searching the Source)

What are you scared of?

Everybody has some fears and worries – as humans, we’re programmed to feel fear as a natural response to threats in order to protect and look after ourselves.

But, what happens when your fears begin to take over? Fear can control your life and keep you from following your dreams, prevent you from taking risks, and stop you from living the life that you want and doing the things which you desire.

But…

It doesn’t have to be this way! Fear can hold many people back, and one of the biggest mistakes that you might be making right now is taking your fear at face value.

What you need to understand is that fear can be both real and imagined, and it’s hard for your body and brain to differentiate between the two. Let’s look at two different situations to put this in perspective.

Imagine that there’s an angry bull racing towards you, and you’re wearing a red t-shirt. This would be real fear. You have every reason to be scared if you’re being charged at by a furious horned animal!

Now, imagine that you’ve just turned the lights off after watching a particularly scary horror movie. You know that you’re absolutely safe in your home, but you still can’t shift that nauseous feeling in your gut when you think about some of the scenes from the movie. This fear is imagined.

Fear can be a product of two different things – it’s either due to reality, or a product of your imagination. In general, real fear will be felt by both you and others around you and imagined fear will be personal to you alone. Imagined fear is generated by your beliefs and individual perspective of the world, which is why some people have fears which are completely incomprehensible to others.

For example, a person who fell into a lake as a small child may have a fear of water even into adulthood, whilst somebody who’s never had a scary experience with water could be a professional swimmer with absolutely no fear of scuba diving in the sea. This is because the water in and of itself isn’t something to be fearful of, but your personal experience could make it scary for you.

In general, the fears which hold us back are these imagined fears which are personal to each and every one of us. Just because they’re imagined, however, doesn’t mean that they’re not real – they certainly feel very real to the person who is feeling them.

Conquering the fears which are holding you back relies on you getting down to the source. Discovering what causes your fears is key to facing them head-on and taking control of your own life and happiness. Figuring out what you need to do to push your fears out of your life and no longer allow them to hold you back will involve putting everything into perspective and sifting out the irrational fears from the rational ones.

Once you know where it is that your fears come from and how to deal with them, you’ll become a braver and stronger person. Fear and anxiety can severely hold you back, and taking the steps to gain control over them and no longer allow them to rule your life is a process that will take time, effort, and patience – but it will all be worth it in the end.

Many fears are a product of your own mind, whether it be going to the dentist, flying in a plane, or public speaking. Some fears are caused by a bad or even traumatic past experience, whilst others can be the product of in-fluence from other people.

However, no matter how your fears were established, conquering them is entirely possible when you use the right steps and strategies.

Before you begin, it’s vital to understand that you will need to be patient with yourself. Fear is an extremely strong emotion, and the ‘fight or flight’ response generated by chemicals and hormones in the body can lead to different physical responses which can make facing and conquering your fears extremely difficult.

When you decide to conquer your fears, you need to be aware of what this entails – at some point, you will need to face them. Although the prospect of this is initially terrifying for many, by the time you are ready it won’t seem quite as bad. This is why it’s important to be patient with yourself and resolve to take small steps towards achieving your goal of fearlessness.

Being kind to yourself is crucial when you are learning to conquer your fears, although you’ll need to get a healthy balance between self-care and self-motivation. Finding the balance between the two will involve changing your mindset to include more confidence in yourself and a kinder attitude towards yourself and your feelings. Many of us beat ourselves up for feeling fears that we deem irrational; it’s crucial that you stop doing this and instead accept your fears rather than trying to fight them.

Accepting your fears is the crucial first step that you will need to take before trying any of the following strategies. Fighting a mental battle against your- self and your fears can make it significantly more difficult to gain any positive benefits from any of these strategies, which is why learning to be accepting is key. Learning to accept your fears can even create a sense of calm and positivity which you can’t gain from fighting them.

Take a deep breath, and tell yourself that you accept all of your fears – even the ones that you think are silly. Repeat this process as many times as you need throughout your journey to fearlessness!

Determining the source of your fears and anxieties is the first step that you will need to take in order to eventually be able to take control of your fears and manage them efficiently.

Knowing what is causing your fear is crucial to finding the solutions that you need, and at this point, it is essential to prepare for some serious self-evaluation as well as the need to be completely honest with yourself.

You should also be aware that you may need to revisit some unhappy memories, therefore it’s vital to choose a time when you are feeling calm, relaxed, and energized before you begin to explore the reasons for your fear.

Discovering the reasons for your fear can also help to improve your confidence. For many people, not quite knowing why they’re scared of something can lead to even more feelings of fear – have you ever been scared of fear itself? This is why it’s important to invest time to do some serious soul-searching and delve deep into your memories to discover the sources of your fears, even the worst ones.

Self-Evaluation

In order to discover the source of your fears, it’s important to self-evaluate. This process involves asking yourself a number of different questions, such as what your biggest fears are, what triggers feelings of fear and anxiety in you, and which memories invoke the most anxious feelings in you.

The process may be difficult and could take some time as you unearth memories that you may not want to remember, therefore it’s important to take your time, be kind to yourself and give yourself a lot of self-love.

You may find it helpful to go through this process with a trusted friend, family member, or even a professional therapist.

An easy way to help you to determine the source of your fears is to write them all down on paper. No matter how small or insignificant you may believe your fears to be, jot them all down in front of you, in order of the worst to the least.

Then, write down what you think maybe the source of your fears next to them. For example, if you are afraid of driving due to being in an accident, write ‘driving – traffic accident’. If you come to fear and you’re not sure why you feel it, don’t worry – just concentrate on the ones which you can determine the source of for now.

Possible Sources

When it comes to the source of fear, there can be a range of different reasons. You may feel fear due to something that you have experienced your- self or a traumatic experience that you have been through. If you have been through a frightening experience, it’s highly likely that you’ll feel fear as a response to a similar situation or in fact anything which reminds you of it.

This is why it’s important to jot down the different things which trigger feelings of fear in you, as memories can stick around even from the earliest years of childhood – it’s not uncommon for people to still experience fear as a response to something reminding them of a situation that they experienced as a young child.

Learned Fears

Along with things that you have experienced, other people’s experiences and fears can also contribute to your own emotions and determine what you are fearful of. You may find yourself fearful of certain things even if you yourself have no reason to be as the result of influence from somebody with who you are close to.

Take this as an example. Let’s imagine a little girl who is bitten by a dog. Although she is not seriously hurt, the incident is painful and quite traumatic for her, and because of it, she develops a fear of dogs which remains with her as she grows up and she remains scared of dogs well into her adult life.

As an adult, she has a child. Still fearful of dogs, she won’t let her child play with any dogs and crosses to the other side of the road with her child if she sees a dog walker approaching. Because of this fear, her child learns that dogs are to be feared; subsequently growing up scared of dogs themselves even though they have not personally had a bad experience with any dogs at all.

Think about some of your fears – do you feel them because of a parent or sibling who does? Growing up, was your mom or dad scared of flying, go- ing to the dentist, or did an older sibling display fears of a certain animal because of a bad experience that they had? Some fears can be learned from others, and it is important to distinguish these learned fears from the fears which you have developed due to your own experiences.

Friends and Family

Some people can also develop fears due to something that they have seen a close friend or family member go through. For example, you might see a close friend crash their car and spend a long time recovering from their injuries.

Even though you may not have been directly involved yourself, the trauma of sharing in their experience as a friend and seeing first-hand what they have been through could be enough for you to develop your own fears regarding driving.

It’s important to understand that this type of fear is normal – just because something hasn’t happened to you directly, understanding how it feels due to being close to someone who has experienced it is likely to invoke feelings of fear and anxiety in many of us.

You might also develop feelings of fear and anxiety for the other person who you are close to – for instance going back to the car crash example, you may feel fear for your friend when they begin to start driving their car again. Again, this is normal and part of having a healthy relationship with somebody with who you are close.

However, it’s important to understand that if your fears grow, you could end up holding both yourself and the other person back from living life to its full potential and successfully recovering from the traumatic experience which you saw them have.

Tackling All Your Fears

Because the reasons for and sources of fear can be so diverse, it may take you a while to get down all of your different fears on paper and understand where they are stemming from. It’s vital to realize when you are doing this that your fears may not always be for yourself, and sometimes the source of them is not always something that happened to you.

For example, you may be fearful when your child begins to go to school by themselves as you have heard about kidnappings on the news.

Even if some fears aren’t taking over your life and are not at the point of holding you or others in your life back, it’s a good idea to list them all so that you can decide which fears need working on and which ones you are at a healthy point with.

Knowing which fears you are dealing with in a healthy manner can also help to serve as an example of what you want to achieve with the fears which are causing more problems for you.

When tackling your worst fears, it’s helpful to be aware of the things you do when faced with the fears that you manage well so that you can make the effort to consciously implement these strategies.

Published in Motivation

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  • Aries: Bloodstone, Diamond, Carnelian
  • Taurus: Emerald, Rose Quartz, Sapphire
  • Gemini: Agate, Citrine, Chrysocolla
  • Cancer: Moonstone, Pearl, Ruby
  • Leo: Amber, Onyx, Peridot
  • Virgo: Amazonite, Sapphire, Sardonyx
  • Libra: Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Tourmaline
  • Scorpio: Topaz, Aquamarine, Malachite
  • Sagittarius: Turquoise, Blue Topaz, Amethyst
  • Capricorn: Garnet, Black Tourmaline, Jet
  • Aquarius: Aquamarine, Garnet, Turquoise
  • Pisces: Amethyst, Jade, Aquamarine

These crystals are believed to resonate strongly with the energies and characteristics associated with each zodiac sign, offering support and alignment on one’s journey.

  • Aries (March 21 – April 19): Bloodstone, Diamond, Carnelian
  • Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Emerald, Rose Quartz, Sapphire
  • Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Agate, Citrine, Chrysocolla
  • Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Moonstone, Pearl, Ruby
  • Leo (July 23 – August 22): Amber, Onyx, Peridot
  • Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Amazonite, Sapphire, Sardonyx
  • Libra (September 23 – October 22): Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Tourmaline
  • Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): Topaz, Aquamarine, Malachite
  • Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Turquoise, Blue Topaz, Amethyst
  • Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): Garnet, Black Tourmaline, Jet
  • Aquarius (January 20 – February 18): Aquamarine, Garnet, Turquoise
  • Pisces (February 19 – March 20): Amethyst, Jade, Aquamarine

These stones are believed to resonate strongly with the energies and characteristics associated with each zodiac sign.

  • Crystal Grids for Zodiac Rituals:

    • Enhance your astrological rituals by creating custom crystal grids tailored to the energy of each zodiac sign. Use stones like citrine for Leo to boost confidence or amethyst for Pisces to enhance intuition. Incorporating crystal grids amplifies the potency of your intentions and aligns your practice with celestial energies.
  • Charging Birth Charts with Crystals:

    • Infuse your birth chart readings with crystal energy by placing relevant stones on key astrological points. For example, place carnelian on your Mars sign for vitality or rose quartz on your Venus sign for love. By charging your birth chart with crystals, you deepen your connection to your cosmic blueprint and empower your astrological journey.
  • Astrological Crystal Meditation:

    • Incorporate crystals into your meditation practice to align with astrological energies and deepen your spiritual connection. Choose stones that resonate with the current astrological season or your personal astrological placements. For instance, meditate with malachite during Taurus season to ground your energy or with moonstone during Cancer season to enhance intuition.

Examples of Intention Setting with Crystals:

  • Physical Healing: “I program this crystal to support my body’s natural healing process and promote overall well-being.”
  • Emotional Support: “I set the intention for this crystal to foster calmness, reduce anxiety, and bring emotional balance.”
  • Spiritual Growth: “I imbue this crystal with the intention to deepen my connection to my spiritual self and enhance my intuition.”
  • Manifestation: “I program this crystal to attract abundance, success, and positive opportunities into my life.”

Tips for Effective Intention Setting:

  • Clarity: Be clear and concise in your intention. The more specific you are, the better.
  • Positive Framing: Focus on positive affirmations rather than negations. Instead of “I want to reduce stress,” say “I choose to experience calmness and peace.”
  • Visualization: Visualize your desired outcome as you set your intention.
  • Gratitude: Express gratitude to the crystal for its potential support.

Examples of Crystal-Chakra Alignment:

  1. Root Chakra (Base of Spine): Associated with grounding, stability, and security. Crystals like bloodstone, red jasper, and black tourmaline are commonly used.

  2. Sacral Chakra (Lower Abdomen): Associated with creativity, passion, and sensuality. Crystals like carnelian, orange calcite, and amber are often used.

  3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Upper Abdomen): Associated with personal power, confidence, and self-esteem. Crystals like citrine, yellow jasper, and tiger’s eye are commonly used.

  4. Heart Chakra (Center of Chest): Associated with love, compassion, and empathy. Crystals like rose quartz, green aventurine, and malachite are often used.

  5. Throat Chakra (Throat): Associated with communication, truth, and self-expression. Crystals like sodalite, celestite, and aquamarine are commonly used.

  6. Third Eye Chakra (Brow): Associated with intuition, wisdom, and imagination. Crystals like amethyst, lapis lazuli, and fluorite are often used.

  7. Crown Chakra (Top of Head): Associated with spirituality, connection to the divine, and enlightenment. Crystals like clear quartz, amethyst, and selenite are commonly used.

  • Love and Self-Compassion: Rose quartz, known as the “Stone of Love,” is associated with emotional healing, self-acceptance, and fostering feelings of love.
  • Focus and Concentration: Amethyst is believed to promote mental clarity, focus, and memory, making it a popular choice for students and professionals during demanding tasks.
  • Stress and Anxiety Relief: Lepidolite, with its calming and balancing properties, is thought to reduce negativity and promote relaxation, aiding in stress and anxiety management.
  • Creativity and Inspiration: Citrine, often called the “Success Stone,” is believed to stimulate creativity, increase motivation, and attract abundance, making it a valuable tool for entrepreneurs and artists.
  • Sleep and Relaxation: Selenite, known for its cleansing and purifying properties, is believed to promote peaceful sleep and tranquility by creating a calming environment.
  1. Mark the Season: Take note of the upcoming equinoxes or solstices, which mark significant shifts in the Earth’s seasons and energies. Consider researching the astrological significance of these events to deepen your understanding.

  2. Create a Ritual Space: Set aside time to honor the changing season in a space that feels sacred to you. This could be indoors or outdoors, depending on your preference and availability.

  3. Connect with Nature: Spend time in nature, whether it’s a walk in the woods, a visit to the beach, or simply sitting in your backyard. Take time to observe the changes happening around you and reflect on the rhythms of the natural world.

  4. Express Gratitude: Use this time to express gratitude for the abundance in your life and the blessings of the season. You may choose to journal, create artwork, or simply speak aloud your thanks to the universe.

Prepare Your Space: Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can engage in your eclipse ritual without distractions. Consider setting up an altar with items that hold personal significance to you, such as crystals, candles, or symbols of transformation.

Set Intentions: Reflect on the energies of the eclipse and what transformations you wish to manifest in your life. Write down your intentions on a piece of paper, focusing on areas where you seek growth, healing, or spiritual awakening.

Engage in Ritual: During the eclipse, whether it’s visible in your area or not, take time to meditate, pray, or perform rituals that resonate with you. You may choose to light candles, burn incense, or use sound instruments to create a sacred atmosphere and deepen your connection to the cosmic energies.

Release and Surrender: As you engage in your eclipse ritual, let go of any attachments or limitations that no longer serve you. Trust in the process of transformation and allow yourself to surrender to the flow of cosmic energy.

  1. Preparation: Create a sacred space by clearing clutter and lighting candles or incense. You may also want to take a cleansing bath or smudge yourself with sage to purify your energy.

  2. Write Down What to Release: Take a piece of paper and write down anything you wish to release, such as negative emotions, old patterns, or limiting beliefs. Be honest and specific about what you want to let go of.

  3. Release Ceremony: Go outside under the light of the Full Moon or find a window where you can see the moon. Hold your written intentions in your hands and speak them aloud, declaring your readiness to release them. Then, tear up the paper or burn it in a fireproof container as a symbolic act of release.

  4. Meditation and Reflection: Sit quietly and meditate on the space you’ve created within yourself by letting go. Reflect on how you feel lighter and more free without the weight of what you’ve released.

  5. Closing: Close the ritual with a few deep breaths and a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to release what no longer serves you. Thank the moon and any spiritual guides or higher powers you work with for their support.

Full Moon image

Set the Scene: Find a quiet and comfortable space where you won’t be disturbed. Light a candle and set up any other items that help create a sacred atmosphere, such as crystals or incense.

Reflect and Clarify: Take a few moments to center yourself and reflect on your goals and desires. What do you want to manifest in your life? Write down your intentions on a piece of paper, focusing on what you want to create or attract.

Visualize and Affirm: Close your eyes and visualize yourself already experiencing your intentions as if they have already come true. Feel the emotions associated with achieving your goals. Then, recite your intentions aloud as affirmations, speaking them into existence.

Release and Surrender: After stating your intentions, release them to the universe with a sense of trust and surrender. Let go of any attachment to the outcome and trust that the universe will support you in manifesting your desires.

Gratitude Practice: Express gratitude for the blessings in your life and for the opportunity to set intentions for positive change. Close the ritual with a moment of gratitude and appreciation.

New Moon Ritual