Make Friends With Fear

As my journey continues to take me further off into the unknown, I have grappled with fear. We all deal with fear.

Without conscious practice and acknowledgement, fear can derail us from following our heart.

My spiritual awakening is paying off as I learn to work with fear rather than bury it (or worse—ignore it altogether).

It takes more energy to work against fear than it does to work with it.

Fear is not the enemy when we make friends with it.

It is a vital part of who we are, so invite fear along as if it were a wise friend; it is there for a reason.

Fear keeps us safe in times of danger and sustains us throughout perilous times of change.  

When we make friends with fear and allow it to be heard, we can gently let it know our plans.

Be grateful for the role fear plays, but affirm you are choosing a different route—courageous love.

The development of a healthy ego alongside a courageous spirit ensures we have all we need to navigate this world.

-Sarah Varcas

Fear lands us right at the same intersection we left it, at the corner of been there and done that. Unless we choose a path to love by opening our heart to everything below the surface of fear, we will experience the same unfulfilling and predictable outcomes while hiding from our own emotions.

When fear becomes your lighthouse it will perpetually lead you to darkness.

-Kris Carr

Fear's number one job is to keep us safe and secure in the comfort of our current reality. It certainly doesn't want us to dig deep into the crevices of our heart and soul, because when we listen to our deepest calling and inner knowing we inevitably come to meet the complacency and unfulfilling path that our fears keep us traversing along.

Choose a New Path

There's no security in following love or dreams or desires, because those things offer zero certainty. They DO offer rewards that far exceed the risk we take to follow our heart—happiness, fulfillment, joy, purpose and self care.

Choosing love via adventures, self worth, soul searching, soul mates, dreams, fulfilling careers, or any multitude of things calling to your heart is the only way to live freely with empowerment, purpose and inner peace.

The next time fear starts to speak, go ahead, have a dialogue with it.

"Thank you, Ego, for doing your job; I want you to know that I am choosing to listen to my heart. I already know where you take me, and I'm ready to chart a new course this time. I sure hope you'll come along. I'm still going to need you."

Listen to your intuition to determine whether fear is playing a healthy role, or sabotaging your dreams by halting any momentum.

When fear is kindly put in its place, we make space for the whispers of our soul to be heard. The calling of our heart or the curiosity of our Higher Self begins to flourish. 

It takes often might courage to honour the truth as we see it, especially when it sets us apart from others or challenges the status quo.

-Sarah Varcas

If life is providing you opportunities to grow or revealing experiences to test your heart's desires, say yes. Step outside of your comfort zone, and make one step at a time.

You may not know where the path to Love takes you, but I can guarantee you haven't been there yet. And don't forget to invite along courage, faith and trust. You're going to need them.

By staying present to both our fears and our hopes and dreams, we assertively take action that befits our current reality. Dreams are healthy so long as we take one curious step at a time.

The Winds Beneath My Heart

I’ve resisted against the winds of my heart for a long time. Now I’m too tired to push back. I’m ready to run with them. Maybe you won’t understand why I’m fighting so hard. It may seem like I’ve pitted myself against a life most would be content to have. But I don’t want to be content.

I’m fighting for the utmost joy and a heart beaming with light. As painful as some of these day are, I love where I’m going.

—Meaghan Archer

I'm just tickled so many colors to be announcing that I can't push back against my heart any longer. The time has come to step into my calling and say yes to all that lies beyond, the place where all my dreams reside.

After weighing about a gazillion options and avenues for how to fulfill my calling, I surrendered and let God figure out the "how." I simply put out the intention of serving others based on my God-given gifts, and before I knew it, the path found me right where I am.

Getting to this moment was an unbelievable struggle; it took six months of deep soul work after I received the blessed guidance to drop fear and resistance and own gratitude through mindfulness and appreciation of the present.

Perhaps the most important lesson I learned along the way is resistance will block you from manifesting your potential; it will block you from the energetic flow of the Universe where miracles are waiting. The thing about resistance is it cancels out gratitude.

Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.

-Eckhart Tolle

You cannot bring more of the good into your life if you don't appreciate what is already in your life. I finally accepted how the Universe had strategically placed me exactly where I needed to be to get where I was going. But my impatience and frustration with my current situation and career led to resistance and unease. I was so caught up in the life I dreamt of, yet I was blocking myself from ever getting there.

Last November, I sought guidance from Kathleen Hosner, an intuitive and spiritual guide, who advised me to find the blessing in my current situation. I was putting up a physical block to all the new blessings desperate to arrive at my doorstep. Clearly God brought me this far, and I was given all I resisted for a reason. Not only did gratitude keep me firmly placed in the present moment, but it allowed me to be present enough to hear and see the signs that would guide me to my next steps. You cannot hear or even notice messages or signs when living in the future; wishing I were already living my calling took me far, far away from the moment I was graciously given.

As I quietly focused my heart on my job at hand, I stumbled synchronistically upon exactly what I was looking for (but didn't know I needed). These moments when fireworks go off, I am reminded that God's plan is far better than one my limited mind can devise. I found the school, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, that would serve as my apprenticeship as I prepare to do the work I am called to do as a healer and teacher.

I was intuitively guided to the people, teachings, tools and certifications that would allow me to best serve those around me, and I embarked on a spiritual awakening to find complete peace in my heart (where my inner truth was revealed). I opened up the flow of abundance that the Universe intended to deliver for my purpose to take flight. Had I not embraced a mindset of presence and gratitude, I can safely say I would not be where I am today: ready to own my truth and start a new, fulfilling career in intuitive healing and spiritual coaching.

I owe everything to gratitude.

The steps I am taking on my new journey fill my heart with so much fire and passion; I simply cannot wait to share everything I am and all I have learned with the world. I am here to serve and I am ready. Will you join me?

Stand in Your Light

This is who I am insideThis is who I am, I'm not going to hide Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far To stand in the light and be seen as we are So stand in the light and be seen as we are

With courage and kindness hold onto your faith You get what you give and its never too late To reach for the branch and climb up leaving sadness behind Fight hard for love We can never give enough

—"Stand in the Light" by Jordan Smith

I am a huge, huge fan of The Voice. I have only missed one of the last eight seasons. And The Season 9 winner, Jordan Smith, is by far my favorite artist discovered on the show. And it isn't his voice that makes me say this (even though he sings like an angel), but the way he makes me feel and the way he shines so brightly as an individual. He inspires me to be who I am, and so it's no surprise that his first single is "Stand in the Light."

Today, and every day, I am standing in my light and owning my authentic heart. And that heart wants to share all that I am. My words are my passion. I am a writer. I am a poet. I am love. I am light.

A little over a year ago, as I began my journey to own who I am and speak my truth, I received the name of my future book during a meditation: The Patchwork Heart. I quickly bought the domain name and vigorously wrote down my story as it unraveled. I made a goal to launch my website and begin sharing my heart so I wouldn't have to wait until I am published.

I have procrastinated and perfected and poured my heart into my site. And there is still a lot of progress to be made. But I discovered how fearful and limiting my perfectionism is, and that done is better than perfect.

Inspired by Jordan's words to stand in my light, I am here to show you who I am: an open heart, a writer and poet. And I am incredibly proud of that. I come from a lineage of spectacular writers: my mother, Diane Amento Owens and my beloved grandfather, Robert Amento. But more than a writing ability, they passed down faith and passion which I express with each heartfelt word.

I am called to share this love and light with you in hopes that you step into your own light. All we can ever do is be exactly who we are, say all we feel and love as hard as we can. I feel that love starts from within, with deep and meaningful self love. This is where our journey begins for we cannot truly love another in the way they deserve until we love ourselves.

There will be a day when living anything less than a soulful, passionate and authentic existence will simply not be acceptable. For me, that journey began when I began saying yes to myself and what made me feel alive. Taking the road less traveled is paved with unknown territory, but I have found there is nothing worse than not knowing.

Not knowing all you could be if you just step outside your security box and break down your walls of protection. Not knowing the love you are capable of giving and receiving if you take the time to love yourself. Not knowing where your passion and calling will take you if you set aside a job for a paycheck to do something you love and affect change.

I would rather know. I would rather learn to trust and have faith than give into fear. Fear keeps us right where we are but love, love takes us higher. I speak from this higher place of love. I live from this place, I wrote from this place and I serve from this place. There's no other way I would want to live. You couldn't pay me any sum of money to go back to the box of certainty and fear.

I invite you to stand in your light. If you are waiting for certainty or answers or clarity, you won't get it unless you start saying yes to love, trust, and faith.

With Each Blessed Breath

It is nights like tonight that I am reminded to push through even when it seems futile. I was gifted my yoga teacher’s new book, Supreme Breath after responding correctly to her pop quiz question. And to think I almost missed this class due to absent mindedness. I forgot to pack pants this morning. As I contemplated the idea of missing class, my intuition improvised a plan to get on my mat no matter what. Yoga always bring me back to the present through breath. Obstacles melt away, and my efforts are humbly affirmed. I engage the life force energy within through pranayama and true to form, I remember why I work so hard to get on my mat.

Deb left us with the simple message to follow your heart (a message I needed terribly). The person you may become by doing so is quite possibly who you are meant to be. Heart work changes you by pushing beyond your comfort zone. You find your deepest purpose here. You can choose to go back to a lesser life after engaging your heart in everything you do, but why would you ever want to take a step back? Fear. That is why.

With every treacherous step forward into the unknown, our ego attempts to counter with an equally dangerous retreat. But when you follow your heart, that leap is almost always guaranteed to land you in a better place as long as you lean into faith. So, kick the living crap out of fear. Go ahead. Don’t be afraid of what or who you may leave behind. Your past is the past for a reason.

I am right smack in the middle of creating my realized dream. Most days seem to pass by without any means of progress or inspiration to move forward, but then I take one small step into my heart. What follows is always magical, no matter how small the nudge is in the right direction. Today, this quote on faith knocked right on my heart and begged me to let my dreams enter.

When you believe, when you put in the hours, when you do your best work, when you keep going, eventually, you’ll find that luck has very little to do with your success. It starts with a dream, but a dream has to become your life for your life to become that dream fully realized. You can totally do it. Start where you are and commit to getting to where you want to be.

For me, love and faith are synonymous in reaching for your dreams. Once you are living an awakened life through opening your heart, it will take infinite amounts of faith to continue onward when you are called to a higher path and purpose. If you choose to remain open and fall on faith, faith that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be, you will be sent confirmation that you are making progress.

I am grateful for the confirmation I received today by pressing on and practicing yoga. The fruits of yoga are infinite, but above all else, I am reminded to live within the vital life force, the essence that resides inside my heart. Take a deep breath and ponder that energy within your own heart. What is it yearning for you to hear?