Fear, Uncertainty & Loss

Did you know...

that Fear is the absence of certainty coupled with the
assumption of loss.

This gem from Jon Benson has been on my mind... A LOT.

In spite of my intellectual knowing that certainty is a fool's game and uncertainty is a fact of life, fear grabbed hold and held me hostage recently. My undoing--the perceived loss of something I hold very dear.

What did I do? I fanned fear's flames. I snubbed it! But the knot in my gut and the angst in my heart were relentless. We all know that what we resist persists. It not only persists, it gets louder or bigger or stronger until we pay attention.

So I paid attention. But instead of dealing with the fear right then and there, I fanned it further!

I played the "what if" game. However instead of what if good, I indulged in what if bad. I fabricating one story after another about the potential outcome of this situation...not one ended with happily ever after!

Could this be happening? Surely, I should know better. A part of me did. It saw right through what I was doing. It watched with curiosity and waited...

as the part that fanned the flames of fear burned itself out. Then, the part that knew better went to work.

As much as I'd like to blame external factors for my fear, it was an inside job. It always is.

My experience has been painful and productive. I'll share some insights in my next few posts.