What are you afraid of?

Your fear is telling you something. The first step in releasing it is identifying what it is trying to tell you.

My best advice is to make a regular practice of sitting to connect with your body, because the answers lie within.

Our body will lead the way, if we can only stop to listen.

Try this short practice:

1. Find a comfortable place to sit where you won’t be disturbed for 10-15 minutes. Breathe deeply to settle in and connect with your physical body. Close your eyes to draw your attention inward.
2. Ask yourself aloud: “What are you so afraid of?”
3. Notice what comes up in your body. It could be a tightness in your chest, a pit in your stomach, a lump in your throat, an ache in your head. You might feel the urge to get up and run away, to lie down and sleep. Whatever it is, thank your body for talking to you.
4. Ask again, “What are you afraid of?”
5. Whatever comes up, ask, “Why does that scare me?” Continue digging deeper and deeper.

Fear is real, and a normal human emotion. We often experience it on the superficial level, but it’s deep with many layers. It’s often rooted in deep childhood wounds. Asking yourself what you’re afraid of requires you to dig deep to find the fear beneath the fear, and even further beneath the fear.

So when you get the first answer to “what are you afraid of”, dig deeper. And keep going.

For example, if a fear of failure comes up, let’s explore the root of that.

WHY does the possibility of failure draw out fear? What’s behind it?

It could be rooted in how others perceive you, or in safety or security.

Dig deeper. It’s the only way to release it.