Seven Ways to Let Go of Fear and Return to Love

I get caught in that trap. A lot.

I’m my own worst taskmaster, always pushing myself with nervous energy to fix it, solve it, do it now—otherwise it won’t get done.

I took my anxious spirit to the Creator one morning during my quiet time and asked how to get out of this nervous-Nellie cycle. I heard God whisper, “Stop being motivated by fear. Let love be your guide.”

“Easy for you to say, God.” I chuckled. “Living from love, not fear, is a great concept. But how do I do that? What tools can I use to get out of my ‘the sky is falling’ frenzy?”

Here are several tools the Creator suggested, many of which I’d been taught by wise teachers over the years:

Check-in with your motivations.
Why are you doing this?

When the fear monster grabs hold of your psyche, causing you to grimace and grouse, ask yourself, “Why am I doing this task? What’s my motivation? Am I doing it to impress or please someone, or am I doing it because I love using my gifts and serving others?”

Aligning ourselves with our purpose and our passion lets us experience joy even when our tasks are challenging and our spirits are weary.

 Hand to heart.
Breathe.

Whenever a sense of being overwhelmed grips your mind and body, stop. Place your hand on your heart and breathe.

Focusing on your heart and calming your body with a breath of fresh air lets your mind sink into your heart-space so you can re-ground yourself in love.

A friend said she learned this tool from her special needs son. His teacher taught the child that when he felt overwhelmed or fearful, he could practice what the teacher called “Hand to heart. Breathe.”

Now, whenever my friend becomes anxious, her special needs son stops her. Then he takes her hand, places it on her chest above her heart, and says, “Hand to heart, Mommy. Breathe.”

Shake your worries out.

When we become anxious, our bodies tighten with stress and tension. If we take a moment to wiggle our hands and feet, shake our heads, and add a little laughter, we can push the negative energy out of our bodies, allowing the flow of God’s love and lightness to return.

My wife taught her preschool students this simple tool. Whenever the children get too excited or filled with fear, she stops them and has them wiggle their hands, feet, and head. Then they sing together, “Shake! Shake! Shake! Shake your wiggles out!” 

 We can use this tool to shake off our worries and open our hearts to God’s Divine Flow of love and inspiration. We can “Shake! Shake! Shake! Shake our worries out.” In doing so, we create the inner space to refill with the energy of Divine love.

            Pray your calendar.
What’s the work God’s given me to do today?

At the beginning of the day, take a few moments to meditate and connect with God. At the end of your meditation, ask God, “What is the work you’ve given me to do today?” Then write down the tasks God nudges you to accomplish.

With the Creator as your guide, you co-create your to-do list for the day.

 Charm, my spiritual mentor, introduced me to this practice thirty years ago. Instead of worrying about my daily tasks during meditation time, I leave that until the end of my sacred time. Then God and I co-create our to-do list for the day.

Doing the work God has given me to do each day gives me a sense of direction and purpose. It fills me with joy to know I’m co-creating with God.

Take a God-Break
When our day fills with a wave of competing tasks, it can feel like we’re caught in a tsunami. In those moments, it’s important to anchor ourselves in the present moment and find stillness amidst the chaos.

A “God-Break” is a sacred pause in daily life, a moment intentionally carved out to connect with the Divine. It’s a pause where we step back from the hustle and bustle of the world to tune into the presence of God.

Taking a God-Break allows us to reconnect with the Creator and our True Selves. By walking outside and taking a few deep breaths, observing the beauty of nature, or talking with God and listening to the Spirit of love, we can reconnect with the Divine within us. We regain clarity so we can navigate through the rest of the day with grace and resilience.

 Do the next right thing.
What would be life-giving?

Multi-tasking is inefficient. It’s rocket fuel for fear. It breeds a sense of feeling overwhelmed. Anxiety.

When we realize we’re trying to do too much, too quickly, we can pause and ask ourselves and the Creator, “What would bring the most life to me in this moment? What would be life-giving?”

By taking a breath and focusing on the next life-giving step we can take, we give ourselves the gift of the Present Moment. We remind ourselves we’re human beings, not human doings.

            Smile and laugh.
We’re not getting out of this life alive.

When you feel overwhelmed or anxious, smile and laugh to release tension and gain perspective on life’s challenges.

When we smile, our brain releases calming endorphins into our bodies. We relax. We release the tensions our body holds.

 Laughing adds humor to our lives, inviting us to look at situations from a different angle or to find the absurdity in them. By making light of our problems or challenges, we gain a new perspective that can help us see them as less overwhelming. We take ourselves less seriously and find joy in the journey.

“Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here.

“The spiritual journey is the relinquishment—or unlearning—of fear and the acceptance of love back into our hearts.”

—brian j plachta
brianplachta.com