The tension that we feel in our stomach. That voice in the back of our mind… telling us that it’s too risky. These are some of the reasons why at times we hesitate. This hesitation is resistance that we have to overcome within ourselves.
Like working out at the gym, we may talk ourselves out of going to the gym because we’re too tired, we don’t have time, any number of reasons. Excuses though only further strengthen our fear of committing. As Peter Drucker said, “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hope; but no plans.”
The goal of overcoming our fear will require our commitment to not shy away from our fear and to embrace it, while allowing it to teach us. Lately, something that has been helping me embrace my discomfort and fear has been my meditation practice.
Breathing as a way of living
Being aware of your breath is vital to overcoming resistance and being grounded within your truth. On the first day of training to become a monk, a child is taught that everything in life is experienced with a change in their breath. You may experience a change in job, relationship, mood all with a change in breath. When you become angry your breath changes, when you cry your breath changes. Breath is with us every day from the moment we are born until the moment we die.
Gaining awareness of our breath can ground us, it is the basis of our physicality. By learning to manage and become aware of our breath, we start to trust ourselves. We gain confidence and we are capable of transforming our very thoughts. Being mindful of your breath may not change the world, but it can change your world.
Recently, I have recommitted myself to a daily practice of meditation. I will work as hard as it takes me to start the meditation and then I simply aim to enjoy. In, the last week I’ve realized that I had to overcome my fear of sharing my voice.
Acknowledging, where we are…
I may not be an expert in the topics that I am writing about and you know what that’s okay. Life is a journey of overcoming the constraints that we impose on ourselves, so that we can experience what it means to feel truly alive. If you’ve enjoyed this post, please do me a favor, share it and sign up to be notified of future posts.