Fear stops us from getting what we really want in life. It holds us back, keeps us stuck, and prevents us from pursuing our dreams. It makes us play it small. But it has an important role in our spiritual path. Even though fear is usually considered a negative emotion, it can be used as a catalyst for tremendous growth. In fact, fear is a very necessary, very important element of our spiritual development.
Here are 3 ways to use fear as fuel for success:
1. Use fear to awaken certainty that the Creator knows what is best for you.
The spiritual purpose of fear is to help us build our trust in the Creator. Fear can be the catalyst for deeper spiritual connection when channeled properly. When we feel scared, we feel desperate for help and that’s often when we turn to the Creator for guidance.
Part of our spiritual path is to embrace and surrender to what the Creator brings into our lives, knowing it is exactly what our souls need, even if it seems difficult or scary right now. Take your fear and put all that energy into trusting that everything you feel doubtful of is there for your ultimate benefit.
Having certainty in the Creator is not the same as pretending we aren’t afraid. Rather, it's choosing to move forward despite the fear. It's about knowing that no matter what happens, it is for our benefit. Know that the Creator is with you, and whatever is in front of you is for your greatest good.
2. Use fear to reevaluate if you are living in alignment with the Creator.
On the deepest level, our soul’s true fear is that the way we live our lives is out of alignment with the Creator. When we behave in ways that we know are disconnecting us from the Light of the Creator, such as succumbing to angry impulses or selfish desires, it builds a reservoir of fear. It might manifest as a fear of flying, elevators, or the darkness, but the irrational fears are only an effect of our soul's true fear left unheeded.
We are meant to live in fear, but with only one fear: fear of disconnecting from the Light of the Creator. Living with this singular fear helps diminish our reactive behaviors. When the fear of disconnecting becomes greater than the desire to yell at someone or act in a selfish way, not only does it help us change the way we live, it helps diminish all other fears.
3. Ask yourself what you would do if you weren’t afraid. Then go do it!
Often people refrain from taking big steps in life because they're afraid of the unknown, the unpredictable part of life. In all areas of life from our relationships to our careers to our spiritual work, we tend to stay within the confines of what is comfortable and familiar because we don’t know what will happen if we step outside those boxes. But all of life is unknowable. A spiritual life is built upon the desire for newness. It is important for all of us to be looking for the next thing to try because that's what expands us as individuals.
Every day, wake up and ask yourself, “What would I do if I wasn't afraid? What would my life look like? Where would I spend my time? What would I create?” Then go do that! Be open and curious to new things, even if some of them don’t work out.
Fear is both an intrinsic and necessary part of our spiritual development. It's meant to get us to higher and higher levels. Fear makes us uncomfortable, and that’s a good thing! That’s what leads us to be awakened, to change, and to connect to the Creator.
