I recently listened to a talk given by someone who proposed the idea that your life is driven by two forces. One is Fear, and the other Love. Fear arises when you anticipate a punishment for some course of action. Love however exists apart from fear. With love, your actions are completely accepted, you are free to be who you are, free to take risks, and free to be completely happy, healthy, and alive. Fear restricts, confines, and walls you in. This person proposed that these two forces are in constant conflict inside you – fighting for dominion over your life. You, however, can make the choice as to which force you will allow to have dominion over you. Does this sound too lofty and whoo-hoo? It doesnt have to be. Fear could make you not check in that code change because you think it might not be good enough. Fear might make you anxious and upset over little things all day, and effect your concentration. It can have a very real, tangible, and poisonous effect on your life. Love is “fearless”. Being fearless doesnt mean you jump in front of a train (that’s stupidity) it just means that if you live in “Love” you will find that things you thought were hard, or impossible to do will become much easier.
So, the task for today is to look at your life and find places where fear is guiding you — even unconsciously (I can’t go to that restaurant, I always eat at that other place) and replace it with “love”.