Fear is your response to a situation currently happening (one per cent of the time) or one that is potentially happening in the future (ninety-nine per cent of the time). Here’s the problem. Fear can be a manipulating and controlling factor in an individual’s life, and the problem with that is that your natural instincts are generally out of whack with normalcy, and so this syndrome will prevent normal interactions in your life. Fear can also cause you to freeze and become paralysed—in certain situations this can have a fatal outcome. What is your response when fear takes hold? Go ahead, think about it … it’s worth thinking about right now, while you are not overcome with fear.

Fear is almost always related to a future event, and as the true warrior knows, the future is unknown and unknowable. The next few seconds might be visible in your future lens, but beyond that, not so much. FEAR is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. The truth is that fear is only a reaction to an event playing out entirely in your mind. Fear, as an emotional trigger, has its place, but much less so in our modern world where probabilities and measured rational thought are far more useful tools. When fear takes hold, can you even have a rational thought? This must be where the slap across the face and the admonition to snap out of it comes from. Snap out of it, so that you can once again have a mind you can control!

So what to do? I’m sure you have already heard that you should face your fears. That thought often comes to you when you are in a situation that has triggered fear in you … and then it seems preposterous that this could possibly be good advice. True warriors know that, to overcome fear, they must face it … and see that it is false evidence that has appeared real only in their minds. The true warrior then practices being fearful—engaging in controlled activities and scenarios that he or she supposes will trigger fear. The true warrior survives, sees that fear was unnecessary … and that it can get in the way and cause unwanted problems. With this new paradigm in his or her mind, the true warrior seeks out his or her really big fears and embraces the experience. The true warrior wants to be able to act in almost every situation, preserving fear-based reactions for their true function. The true warrior comes to understand that more than thinking is required, more than experiencing is required, and that (at the end of the day) they need that tangible difference that faith provides—from a solid belief in a higher power. Without belief and a deep faith, overcoming the really big fears remains a goal out of reach to many of us self-propelled, rational thinkers.

Many of us are afraid to believe and have faith in a power greater than ourselves. That (in and of itself) is a belief system. Is it a reasonable belief, or a helpful one? Is it a belief that will help you overcome your greatest fears? I think not! Be not afraid. Step out on the path of faith and belief … and become free of your fears. Start small and work at it, moment by moment. You are warriors, and should you believe and practice your faith in the face of fear(s) of any kind, you will prevail and have a skill and a faith that will move mountains. So it has been written.