Fearless

Image created by my friend Vanessa

” There is nothing to fear but fear itself” – a famous line used in the inaugural address of Franklin D. Roosevelt and quoted many times since. To my mind a very apt quote, one that is extremely applicable to world today. Everywhere around us people are driven by fear. We are all buying into the fear mongering whether it be about health, politics, crime, terrorism or the environment. There is no doubt that these are things to be concerned about and action needs to be taken, but does fear really stand a chance at beating them?

Fear creates weakness in us. It makes us run instead of standing up and saying no. So many people in the world and maybe even in our personal lives are getting away with the unacceptable because fear drives us backwards instead of forward.

Fear is a natural emotion designed to protect us and keep us safe, but what if fear is all we have? What if fear is the driving force behind all our actions? I believe that we will run from (flight) or overreact to (fight) everything in our lives.

Social media and media in general feed off negativity and fear. We are told everything that we put in our mouths will kill us, there is a threat around every corner, there is no coming back from the downward spiral we are on. What happened to hope? What happened to accountability? What happened to love?

I have learned, through a lengthy personal process, that fear debilitates and prevents us from moving forward. We will create the world which we perceive. So let’s try to see things differently. Let’s try and focus on our small sphere of influence and create and spread love. Let’s focus on growth instead of destruction.

Yes, we can get overwhelmed. God knows I’ve wanted to dig a big hole and crawl into it but I am part of humanity and this world and crawling into a hole or running away doesn’t help me or anyone else. Find your faith, your belief that good is in fact more powerful than evil. The more of us who spread that message, I believe, the stronger it will become. The stronger our faith, the weaker the hate, the bitterness and the fear.

We may not be in a position to change the entire world but we are in a position to change ours. As we change in our small way so the change spreads, catching up with the fear and eventually overcoming it.

The oppression  of fear is rife in society today. Let’s not let it walk into our hearts and take control. Let’s take control of it. Let’s build better lives, hopeful lives, lives that stand on the strength of faith and a belief in ourselves and others. Then maybe, just maybe we will no longer live in fear and fear will no longer live in us.

Teddy bear hugs

Tonia