Power, Love, and a Sound Mind
I just returned from a two-week long trip on the West Coast and had a few fun, but slightly nerve-wracking, adventures along the way. At one point, I found myself facing my fears and jumping off two different waterfalls in the middle of an organic rainforest farm in Maui - and I was a wee bit more afraid of jumping than I care to admit. It made me assess how I’ve faced some fears over the last year. in fact, I’ve had several people reach out to me lately to talk about their fears - fear in their own health struggles, fear of what their future looks like, fear of feeling unsuccessful in life, etc. There are so many places in our lives where fear can drive our decisions, our emotions, our relationships. It’s a constant struggle for a lot of us.
There’s a Bible verse I know of that can apply to anyone, regardless of your faith - it says that God does not give us a spirit of fear but one of power, love, and a sound mind. Again, regardless of whether you believe in God - I think there’s something to gain from this concept. It implies that there is an opposite to fear, an antithesis to fear itself - and those things are power, love, and a sound mind. I’ve spent some time thinking about each of these and how they truly are the anti-fear.
Power -
When you feel fearful of something, you certainly don’t feel like you have power over it. Facing something big and scary will actually make you feel the exact opposite, powerless. If you had power over it, you would have no room for fear. Maybe, in truth, you don’t have power over it. But you do have power over your response and how you want to handle it. No one can tell you how to respond, no one can tell you how you will grow from it or learn from it or conquer it. That power is within you. You might not have power over what is happening, but there is power in you and harnessing that power, owning it, recognizing it, and claiming it can help you face whatever fears you’re seeing in front of you.
Love -
All you need is love, right? Love is empowering - it emboldens us to take risks, sing from the rooftops, and feel alive. Love gives us peace and excitement all at the same time. It binds families together and friends together, it can strengthen us. Love can be the difference between moving across the country or staying where you are. Love can give you the confidence to fight a battle you might otherwise avoid. If you are facing fear, love can help you overcome those fears. You might have felt a fear of commitment, but fell in love and found power and peace in that loving relationship. Love gives you wings, helps you fly above fear. When you’re fearing something - find your love. Whatever that looks like for you, find your love. Tap into that love and harness it for your good.
Sound Mind -
This one is honestly my favorite, mainly because I have the literal worst overactive brain ever. Battling my constant, non-stop thoughts is so hard. And those thoughts aren’t often the best and most pleasant of thoughts. I think about my future, my son, my step-daughters, my health, my job, my husband, my past experiences, the grocery list… I spend way too much time thinking about worst-case scenarios that will never happen (or will they?!). But trust that if we get invaded by aliens, I’ve already thought about my plan lol. What is the driving force behind a lot of these thoughts and my over-active mind? Fear. So many different kinds of fears, but they all boil down to a common theme - fear. What happens when I stop letting fear drive my thoughts? You got it - a sound mind. I am better equipped to make good decisions. Have more rational reactions to life’s situations. I can be more present & more grounded in my life.
I think having a sound mind is the result of harnessing our power and our love. It is the culmination of that hard work, and the end of the fear.
As you face fears every day - big ones and little ones - tap into your power. Literally ask yourself, “What do I have power over in this situation?” Taking the time to think it through or write it out can help you see that you often have more power than you ever realized. Then think about love that supports you - whether that be from your friends, family, dog, coffee barista, caregivers, or anyone else… and the love you have for others. The love you send into the world is so powerful. Harness those feelings of genuine & wholesome love to remember who you are and what you are capable of. Then, with peace being a driving force, and not fear - use your calm, sound mind to help you make decisions, meditate over your situations, and create a true environment of "anti-fear”. Face your fears with your anti-fear.
