Fear And The Attachment To Quick Results

May 05, 2021

Fear is the craving for safety. A mind that is dominated by fear is a mind that is still in survival mode. Even when there is relative calmness in our external environment, a mind that lives in survival mode will have a defensive stance and will often explore imaginary scenarios of what could go wrong as a way to remain prepared. There is nothing wrong with being mindful of our safety, but too easily this can fall into an extreme where our anxiety is always on high alert. Living through fear keeps us far away from peace. One of the keys to shift from a survivalist mentality to a peaceful one that can help us thrive, is the intentional building of present moment awareness. Fear and anxiety are driven by our concern about what may happen in the future, patiently bringing ourselves back to the present moment will remove the energy that is building up in these imaginary future narratives that are not based in reality.
Beware of the attachment to quick results. So much of our society is based around fast productivity and the rapid attainment of our desires, this focus on speed can quickly invade our perspective on personal transformation and building inner peace. Quick fixes work on the superficial level, however, if you want to get to the root of your issues you need to prepare yourself for the long journey. Doing the deconditioning work of letting go is difficult because there are layers upon layers of old patterns that try to keep us in a cycle of repeating the past, where we react and behave in ways that do not help us rise into the best version of ourselves. The practice that works best for you, whether that is meditation, therapy, psychiatry, journaling or anything else that meets you where you are at, is the one that gives you real results – but don’t expect an immediate and total transformation. Most paths are gradual, where we slowly chip away at the dense conditioning that we have been carrying for far too long.
It all starts with honesty with yourself. Before you take great leaps forward, before you see a radical shift in your mindset, before you transform your behavior – you first need to fully honor where you are and admit to yourself all of the hard truths you have been avoiding. Honesty with yourself is the only way to remove the veil of delusion. It is really one of the hardest things you can do, but from this point, a new chapter in your story begins. Once you embrace your own truth and accept where you are, you can then get a better idea of what direction you need to move into. Honesty can give your life a new trajectory. Once honesty begins, the era of running away is over. Fortunately, this burst of new courage is transferable, you can then shift it into building new habits so you can create a new life and into following through on the hard decisions that your intuition has been asking you to make.

Clarity & Connection:

My new book is now 8 days old! Amazon is restocking Clarity & Connection on Saturday, if you want your copy sooner rather than later, now is a good time to order. You can also get a copy through Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, Book Depository for international orders or you can get one at your local bookstore.

For those who already have their copy, thank you for the warm welcome that you have given my new work.

If you enjoyed my first book Inward, I think you will find Clarity & Connection to be a worthy companion.

If you have the time to leave a kind review on Amazon or Goodreads please do so, these reviews help so much!

Currently Reading:

I have been swept away by Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time. It is a great novel about people who age very slowly, which causes them to live for centuries. I find his writing so beautiful, it has a lyrical quality that reminds me of Hermann Hesse, and the main character is quite interesting. I am about a third into the book and excited to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

Journal Prompt:

How has fear impacted your behavior in the past? What is your relationship to the fake narratives that fear tries to use to grab your attention? What do you do to bring yourself back to the present moment?

If you are looking for a great and artistic journal, check out my dear friend Elena Brower’s Practice You. It is full of vibrant and relaxing art and profound prompts that help you dig deep into yourself.