Control. That is what fear is all about. No matter what the fear…the potential loss of control that we may encounter if we face that fear is the block that holds us back. Fear of success, fear of perfection, fear of not being good enough—at the core of the fear is our need to feel comfortable—to know what we know—to control the situation. It matters little that we have the ability to rise above that fear if we allow ourselves to let go of controlling the outcome. When we meet the moments of our lives where they are at, we develop the ability to meet our fears in such a way that we can lean into the fear by letting go of what we perceive the worst case scenario to be.
Think about the Orlando shootings. Fear is instilled in all of us. How could this happen and why? If it happened there—it can happen anywhere. Anytime. Any place. It can happen to any one of us. Tragic. Random. Senseless. These horrific acts of terror that emerge when we least expect them redefine our fears and in so doing redefine our ability to see clearly in regard to being “out of control.” These attacks on our society, on our freedom, remind us that we do in fact have this freedom to begin with. The choice to face our fears everyday because we value our lives, and because we want to begin today to claim and carve out our own legacy is the strongest message that resounds from the hatred in the world in which we all reside.
In the wake of these shootings, we need to each ask ourselves if we are aligned with our own values. Are we controlling the outcomes of every nuance in our lives so much that we have forgotten to live, to breath, to cherish the moment? What is the price we pay to keep ourselves locked into only what we know? Conversely, what is the freedom that is possible if we unlock the opportunities that we have yet to explore?
None of us know how long our journey is. While we want to take precautions to make sure that senseless acts of violence that are beyond any control we can possibly have do not happen, we can each only do our part in reversing the hatred. The best way to do that is to face the new face of fear by celebrating our own face in the mirror each day. Take a look in the mirror every morning and with that make a commitment.
Make a commitment to face one small piece of your own personal fear each day.
Make a commitment to let go of one small piece of control each day. Celebrate the unknown. Embrace the exploration of something new.
Make a commitment to stamp out the hatred, one person at a time. Every random act of kindness wipes out every senseless crime.
Make a commitment to understand and live what you value most. In so doing, make a commitment to begin today to create the legacy that you most want.
The new face of fear is looking back at you. It involves being a little uncomfortable. It involves not knowing all the outcomes or all the answers; it involves a choice to live the most dynamic and vibrant life that we can. Hatred teaches us about love. Tragedy teaches us about triumph. That light at the end of the tunnel that we are all waiting to see in order to begin or start that, which we only dream about, is not actually at the end of the tunnel. The light at the end of the tunnel is always glowing. We just fail to see how bright it is because we create that tunnel to feel safe, and secure and to control the world around us.
Make a commitment to see the light. To experience each day as it unfolds. Make a commitment to face the fear. We can control the commitment that we make to lose control. That is where our super powers are located. That is the new face of fear.
Randi Levin, CPC, CEO & Founder Randi Levin Coaching-- is a transitional life strategist, author, speaker, and reinvention expert. She holds a BS Degree in Journalism from The University of Maryland and a professional coaching certification from Ipec Coaching. She believes that we have the choice and the power to create our own legacy every day. Randi is a contributor and featured expert for Huffington Post, Identity Magazine, and PowHER Network. She is a co-author in the new book Get RESULTS! This toolbox for change is an anthology collection empowering readers to embrace driving their own personal and professional destiny.