Fear of the Unknown
Quite frankly, I’ve been making a lot of decisions lately that simultaneously excite and scare the shit out of me.
I’m cutting cords with a lot of things, letting go of a lot of old pieces of me that I used to identify with and how people knew me in order to make space for the version of myself that I can feel, see, and know is on the horizon.
And while I have been making these courageous decisions and taking some giant leaps of faith, these decisions and actions have not come without some fear or reservation.
There are parts of me that are screaming to be let go, but I can feel myself holding on at times because I don't know what is to come.
And as I continue to journal and meditate on this, I’ve made some really big revelations, one of which I am really excited to share with you.
During a recent meditation, my guides asked me: “Are you here to play it safe?”.
My answer was an immediate “NO”, but then I questioned, “What does it even mean to play it safe? Why would someone play it safe?”
And thus, this blog post was born.
Playing it Safe
To feel safe in this 3D reality, we need some things: food, a steady income, a roof over our heads, water, emotional support, and body safety. These needs are all related to our root chakra- the first chakra located at the base of our spine- the energetic center of safety and security.
But when these needs are not met, we may feel insecure, ungrounded, unsafe, anxious, or fearful.
Personally, I’ve been using the term “unearthed” lately, and it feels like a pretty good description of how one feels when their root chakra is a little out of whack.
In my own experience and in my healing work, I have noticed that when someone has lived a reality where those root chakra needs were not met, or there was a programmed fear or experience of lack in one or more of these areas, they make choices that will lead them to a predictable outcome.
Working a job that has a consistent paycheck and benefits, even if it makes them miserable. Staying in a relationship that isn’t working, just because it's what they know and they don’t want to be alone. Living in a place because it's comfortable and cheap, and not because it makes them happy.
When we act from this place of predictability, it often comes from this place of controlling an outcome of perceived safety. It ends up coming down to what we “need”, versus what we want, or what will make us truly happy and this life worth living.
Ergo, “playing it safe”.
But at the end of the day, underlying each and every choice of perceived safety is fear. The fear of losing that safety, of making a “wrong” decision.
The fear of the unknown.
Fear of the Unknown
The fear of the unknown is strong, and I have found it is the underlying fear when it comes to most fears.
What will happen? How will it happen? Will it happen how I want it to? What happens when it doesn’t?
I could keep the questions coming, but I’m sure you are familiar with this territory yourself, and have asked yourself these questions and plenty more, in plenty of scenarios.
The fear of what's to come or what will happen when making a big change, taking a risk, or straying from what you’re used to being the “norm” is completely rational. Its unchartered territory. It's a place you haven’t been to before. You don’t know what’s going to happen.
But I’m sure when you’ve leaned in once or twice and listened to that little voice inside your head that says “Do it”, you didn’t regret it.
However sometimes, it doesn't feel that easy.
The fear of the unknown can be crippling, and make us feel as though we aren’t safe to act on that voice. But when we choose to give our power over to fear, it can end up holding us back from something far greater.
So if/when you get stuck, I’m here to tell you the secret antidote to taking those steps forward.
It’s trust.
Trust and Surrender: The Antidote to All Fear
When you listened to that little voice inside your head- Did you stumble and fall? Or did it lead you to success and new opportunities or relationships? Maybe it was both.
Whatever the outcome, I bet you learned something. And in the end, every moment of your life, every risk you did or did not take led you to this very moment. Reading these words on your screen.
My point is, that when faced with the unknown, we have two choices: we can be fearful, or we can trust and surrender.
We can be crippled by fear, and play it “safe”, or we can tap into our power- our inner knowing- that no matter the choices we make, no matter the road ahead, we always have the opportunity to course correct.
That no matter what we choose, we are safe, because ultimately, there are greater forces that are conspiring in our favor.
Your intuition, your inner knowing, is guiding you to exactly where you are meant to go, to make the choices that will lead you to your greatest desires. You came here with a mission- to learn something, to accomplish something, to achieve something- and your intuition was given to you to guide you to those very moments.
God, the Universe, Spirit, Gaia- whatever you call the energy that brings us all together- is the force operating behind the scenes, guiding your intuition. It has much more wisdom than we have, for it knows the bigger picture. Your greater purpose.
If you’ve ever heard the saying “Everything happens for a reason”, this is the exact energy I’m talking about here. Even in those moments where we stumble and fall, there is a reason for it all.
By choosing to trust and surrender, we are submitting to ourselves, our desires, and the greater forces of the universe. In doing so, we are allowing ourselves to co-create with these forces, instead of trying to control every single outcome and every single event in our lives.
In operating from this place of trust, we create the space for miracles to happen. For synchronicities to occur. And we feel guided and held and know that no matter what, it will all work out, even if there are some bumps along the way.
All those questions from fear transform into: What can happen? And life becomes a beautiful field of potentiality. That each and every day anything can happen, and anything is possible.
It's all a matter of changing your perspective.
Journaling/Thought Prompts
Relinquishing control is an interesting phenomenon, and can be pretty scary at times- but I promise you that life will never feel as potent or powerful once you do. There is a lot more flow that happens, a lot more ease.
To help you dig into where you are fearful of the unknown, and where you could use a little more trust and surrender in your life, here are some journaling or thought prompts to help you along your way.
Where in your life do you feel the call to make a change or take a leap of faith?
What is holding you back?
What do you need from yourself and those around you to make these choices happen?
How can you lean in and invite more trust and surrender into your life?
I can speak from experience when I say that co-creating with the universe is a magical time, because this is truly how I’ve been living my life for the past year and a half. Letting my intuition guide me, and not forcing what I think “should” happen. Instead, I am following my heart.
And while it was not my intention, the transformation in my emotional and physical health has been profound.
So if you’re feeling afraid of taking a leap, or making a move, of shedding some skin that no longer serves you- do it. Stop “playing it safe” because you are always safe. There are forces acting beyond what we can see, and that the universe is conspiring in your favor.
And if you need a friend, a guide to help you along your way, or you’re looking for some healing, reach out. I’m always here to help you in any way that I can.
From my heart to yours,
Stephanie