One of the methods for working on our deepest fears is to consider that they have been produced by our past actions. Then, depending on whether the object of your fear is emotional suffering or physical pain, examine it well and ask yourself whether there is any remedy for it. If there is, why be afraid? If there is nothing you can do, then there is even less point in worrying about it. There is also another approach, which entails looking for the person who is afraid. Look at the nature of yourself. Where is it?
–His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, from The Dalai Lama’s Little Book on Inner Peace (Element)
Fear is never far and sadly it moves a lot of us more so then encouragement and confidence do.
I find it interesting that as children we don't seem to have these fears at first, its with each year that we turn we add a new fear. In kindergarten we are introduced into the idea of becoming accepted into a "group", quickly we learn our differences and see them negatively. These encounters are what we like to call "lessons". But rather then learning that our differences are our strengths we dwell on the idea that individuality is a weakness, so we grow fear, rather then grow confidence .We become weary of our every step and spend countless hours rethinking and questioning our actions, believing them to be mistakes and errors. Seldom is a lesson truly learned because we spend so much time dwelling on the idea of failure...
how we failed,
that we failed,
what we could have done to prevent the failure,
that we will fail again
that we shouldn't try again
This is what moves us away from those dreams and goals we started developing as children. Yet we are the only ones preventing ourselves from achieving those or any goals. Another person could easily tell us "You aren't good enough for this....You just wont do well.....Your just wasting your time....etc" but ultimately we run our own journey. It is our decision to listen to those voices and have them dwell and resonate throughout our mind and body. It is our decision to allow those voices to lead our thoughts, our actions, and our decisions. And it is those same voices that become that fear we hold within.....that fear that comes out as excuses, as reasons to doubt and reasons to hold back from placing your best effort into any situation. We waste our own time convincing ourselves that we aren't good enough. Pushing people and possibilities away....
Not to long ago I watched a movie with my younger brother. I excepted it to be a typical Disney movie....but what I learned from the this simple children's movie has stayed with me...I've included a clip below....keep moving forward regardless of anything. Always continue to move forward...no fears, no doubts, no assumptions, no excuses, keep moving forward...
"Lewis: I don't even know what I'm doing.
Wilbur: Keep moving forward.
Lewis: I mean, this stuff is way too advanced for me.
Wilbur: Keep moving forward.
Lewis: And what if I can't fix this, what are we going to do?
Wilbur: Keep moving forward."
