Fear is a Choice

If you had a choice between love and fear, which would you choose? If you think the answer is obvious, then you might just be surprised.

If you were offered a choice between feeling and acting out of fear or out of love, which one would you pick? No question about it, most people don’t even hesitate before they say, “Love!” But this is not a hypothetical question. It is a choice each of us is faced with every day of our lives. And all too often, whether consciously or not, we choose to act out of fear.

When you avoid success, harm your physical health, or hold back your attractiveness, you are choosing fear. When you fail to set goals, or give up your power to a boss, mate, friend or authority figure, fear is motivating you. When you settle for a comfort zone that is far too small for your talents and abilities, you are giving in to fear.

When you deny the truth, feel afraid to say ‘no,’ ignore your feelings or focus on negative feedback, you do it out of fear. In fact, all negative emotions can be traced to some form of fear. And the truth is that you can’t feel both love and fear at the same time. These emotions are diametrically opposed – complete opposites. So, when you act out of fear, in effect, you are choosing to shut out love.

Fear is alive and well, and living in our daily lives. With a global pandemic, caused by a virus that we really don’t know enough about, we have cause to fear. Understanding this virus is coming too slowly for a lot of people, causing frustration and anxiety – the perfect “soil additives” to allow fear to grow. However, there are things we can do, and they come from a place of love. When we choose to social distance, when we choose to wear masks when we are out in public, we are choosing the love of our fellow human beings over fear.

Becoming aware of this process is the first step toward change. It takes work, persistence, and, yes, a particular willingness to risk. But it can be done – and it’s worth it! Get help if necessary, but don’t wait even one more day to begin. Choose love and choose it with your whole heart!