Do you recognize any of this in your life? Phobias, compulsions, perfectionism, fear of failure, procrastination, partial commitments to everything, over-controlling tendencies? If you do, you are not alone. We have forgotten what it was like to be children, how to live in wonder and surprise, how to stumble but get up and take another step. We have forgotten that we were born fearless.
The antidote to fear is not bravery but love. Apostle John tells us, “Perfect love casts out fear.”* The closest we have to pure, fearless, and perfect love in the world today is in the life of babies and toddlers – they have no bias, no sense of danger, they live lives on the level with no hidden agenda, and that’s why children are our greatest teachers. They are unafraid to express their needs, brave but vulnerable, and expressive of unconditional love. Without the shackles of fear, we all would be curious and great adventurers, but our painful and harsh experiences have taught us that life hurts. One of the best ways to become fearless is to face your fear head-on. Start by listing your fears and then devise a plan to tackle each.
In self-preservation mode, we engage in soul fights and struggle with knowing what’s right and actually doing it. Perfection is not a requirement, and we often learn what not to do from our mistakes. This is living with an acute sense of awareness that we come fully alive when we let go of anything that does not give us joy. When we reconnect to the divine and accept that we are born with a purpose, our trust gives us the confidence to become a channel of love regardless of any obstacles or challenges in the process of becoming.
I pray we all awake and remember who we were when we were still tethered tightly to God, who is love. “Do not fear,” He states 365 times in the Bible, one for each day of a new season. So we trust our nudges, show up, and give the best version of ourselves. Fearless living requires letting go of the outcome once we have done our part. No boundaries, no limits – we are safe in the gaze of the One who loves us. He delights in watching us live fully with passion.
Here is my plan this year – get in the sandbox and play to win big in the game of life. What’s yours?
Play. Love. Trust.
Ama
*1 John 4:18
Ama Danesi 