“Finance your faith not your fear.” ~ Carolyn Myss
What a challenging year we have faced navigating so much uncertainty and change. There have been times when hope seemed lost, and we needed to be reminded of the resilience that resides within. In these challenging times when there are so many obstacles to overcome acting from faith and not fear is the most empowering and nurturing choice. Choosing faith over fear requires that we cultivate belief, positive expectation, and trust. Since we know that fear can limit our ability to take inspired action, it is critical to embrace faith in our process of growth. Cultivating faith is the self-nurturing practice that empowers us to grow.
In order to grow we must stretch outside our comfort zones. Each step on the journey of growth requires faith. In order to take the first step, we must imagine where we are heading on the journey. This act of visualization helps us understand what is possible making it is easier to let go of the known and stretch into the unknown. When we believe something is possible, we can take a leap of faith and begin our journey of growth.
Travel is a beautiful metaphor for the process of growth and a concrete example of the need to cultivate faith. When we travel, we have infinite opportunities to act from faith and thus we are encouraged to actively cultivate faith as a tool in our process of growth.
Holding positive expectation is the next step on any journey of travel and/or growth. When we make travel plans from a place of positive expectation, we feel empowered and have more joy and possibilities available to us. Choosing faith instead of fear supports us in focusing on what is possible rather than what could go wrong. Intentionally cultivating the thought “what if this experience is going to be amazing” rather than the anxious thought of “what if this experience is going to be a disaster,” supports us in mindfully fueling faith not fear.
Holding positive expectation not only improves the experience but also encourages us to stay in the present moment and enjoy each step of the journey. When we stay present, we naturally embrace trust in the process. Indeed, a tremendous amount of trust is required to travel and grow. Not only do we need to trust others, but we need to trust ourselves. There are so many things outside our control when we travel and in life, so trusting our ability to navigate, address, and handle challenges that may arise is how we develop confidence in ourselves and the world.
Travel and growth are not for the faint of heart and require much strength, courage, and perseverance.
Being able to see evidence of your ability to stay in faith when things are challenging, provides you an opportunity to recognize your deep capacity for belief, trust, and resilience. Pausing to acknowledge your growth on the journey will empower you by reinforcing your confidence and faith. Embracing the self-nurturing practices of belief, positive expectation, and trust will fuel your faith in your ability to grow and deepen your sense of hopefulness.
As Margaret Shepard reminds us, “Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.”
What leap to faith are ready to take to empower you to grow?
Remember there are so many more possibilities available to us than we can see in this moment.
Terroma moment to help you leap into faith - diffusing 3 drops of Greater than Fear blend before bed. With that keep a few simple affirmations:
- My Fear is not real
- I believe in myself
- I inhale peace and exhale release
In the morning begin the day the same way diffusing Greater than Fear blend and repeat the same mantras.
May you be inspired to nurture hope, faith, and your own growth, as you nurture peace and hope in the world form the inside out!
Sending you peace, love and gratitude, Kelley Grimes, MSW