How to Live in Faith Instead of Fear

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Prior to getting sober, I had no idea what it meant to have faith. I believed that things just happened in some random order and that sometimes they worked in my favor and others they did not. Slowly as I gained more sobriety, things in my life continued to happen that were too perfect to just be happening by chance. I could see that there was an order to things in the universe which allowed me to start to have faith. Whether or not you are a believer in something being greater than you, here are 5 ways that may help you to transform your fear into having faith:

1) Learning to live in the unknown.

As human beings we like to be in the know and most of us like to feel like we are somewhat in control of our lives. In actuality the only thing that we are truly in control of is how we perceive our lives and that actions that we take. When we live in a state of worry about the future it takes us out of the present moment. The way to live in the unknown is to continue bringing ourselves back to the present moment and asking ourselves: “Where am I right now, what am I doing presently?” Take 5 deep breaths diaphragmatic breaths and feel your feet on the ground and try using this mantra : ” I trust the process of life.  I am safe in this moment. I surrender to the present moment.” Try this Acupressure point Grandfather Grandson SP4 at the same time: 

2) Believing that good things happen to you and you are being taken care of.

Getting out of negative thinking is important when you are trying to live in faith. When we dwell in negative thinking and fear we extinguish our creativity and dull our ability to be present. To counteract fear, try seeing all the blessings you have in your life by writing a gratitude list. By completing this list you get to focus on what is going right in your life which strengthens your belief in good things happening to you.

3) Being willing to try something that is out of your comfort zone.

Fear and faith are the two sides of a coin. We all have challenges as human beings, remember you are not alone. Try doing a compassion mediation so that you are giving and receiving compassion, which will help you to feel more connected with humanity, leaving you to feel more positive and less isolated. When you practice this meditation you are learning to stretch your ability to do things that challenge you. By having compassion for yourself you are releasing the judging mind and let go of expectation of what will happen. 

“Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns.” ~Anne Lamott

4) Observing what is happening to you instead of manipulating things to get what you want.

 When we stop manipulating situations to make them fit into what we want, we can find freedom. Going through life with expectations and grasping for what we want sets us up for suffering when things do not go our way. Most people use manipulation to help them feel in control. Control is planted in fear. If we want to find peace and serenity we must let go of our preconceived notions of what we are supposed to have in our lives. Try using this acupressure point K27 Elegant mansion to help you to recognize, be present with and release fear. Breath deeply and hold this points for two minutes:

5) Faith is believing in yourself and making better decisions than you did in the past and seeing abundance in your life.

Everything in our lives can be used as a learning experience if we choose to view them that way. Everything up to this point in your life has taught you something and made you the person you are today. In the past you may have made decisions that did not serve you. Until we are clear about what our patterns are, it is difficult to make better decisions and be clear about what does or does not serves us. By reviewing these lessons and being clear about what we have chosen then it is possible for us to to make different choices.

If you have faith, Anything is possible. Anything at all. ~Bethany Hamilton

By living in faith instead of fear you release past ways of interacting in your life and you are open to possibility. Try looking at life as waves. Try riding the waves of challenges and emotions with an openness so that you can see the lesson. When you are open to seeing you life as a series of experiences instead of challenges we are practicing equanimity. The practice of equanimity allows us to not see things as good or bad but just as it being. When we are able to view our lives through the lens of equanimity we are able to see the abundance that we have in our lives. The practice of viewing life in abundance helps to us to see all the blessings and opportunities in our lives.

All it takes is one ember of faith to guide you through your life.  Will you join me in stoking this ember into a flame this week to releasing fear? Have questions or comments. Please comment below or you can contact me  directly.

Have a blessed week.

Best,