Choosing Love Over Fear
Written by: Patricia Renovato, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The opposite of fear is love, not courage. Courage is the path you have to take to get back to love.
How would you live today if all the limitations imposed by fear were removed? Are you able to imagine a life led by curiosity?
We are taught to be afraid early in childhood. It starts with the gentle “be careful” from Mom, the bedtime story that suggests that we should be afraid of the dark and it spans to how we are disciplined. Most humans succumb to containing children by instilling fear. There are significant conscious and subconscious consequences to this approach. Slowly, we tell children that their world has to be gated, their actions need to be measured and even their thoughts need to be restricted. Everyone responds to these guidelines differently, some like to make loud statements through their fashion choices while decide to act out their frustrations. Of course, these are specific reactions and there are so many more interpretations in between. The point is that the infliction of fear impacts every individual in early development because children accept that what they are being told is the truth. It’s only in adulthood that questions arise as people get more exposed to different ideas and experiences that conflict with what they’ve been taught.
Even as adults we suffer from the confinements of fear. At work, we are led by fear and consequence. We lock every box we get inside of (our cars, our rooms, our homes). Whether you are conscious of it or not, fear is your shadow. It tells you what to eat, what to drink, and how often you should brush your teeth. It’s the voice inside your head that makes you question your every move and gets you anxious about the future.
What would it be like to live with the freedom of a 2-year-old? I wonder this myself and I’m intrigued to dive deep into this question. I find it difficult to identify all the ways that I’m inhibited subconsciously. I’m aware of the negative talk track that plays in my head. But how can I go deeper into my subconscious and extract the root cause of these negative loops? What does it look like to live without limiting beliefs; about myself and the world? And how am I limiting myself? Am I using all my senses to experience the moment?
These questions led me to journal and meditation to help me find clarity. For me, this process took a few days. And then I started to wonder; now that my purview is not restricted, what new possibilities become available to me? This idea excites me.
I developed a 4 step process to help identify and resolve limiting beliefs. This process is iterative because most likely you have many limiting beliefs, some of which are deep-rooted and may take several attempts to demystify. It's important to be patient with yourself, to stay curious, and not judge how or why you carry these limiting beliefs around with you.
Step 1: Identify
Write a list of your limiting beliefs and then decide which one you want to work through right now.
Run through this list twice, at separate sittings. During the first sitting, write down the limiting beliefs that are obvious to you. In the second sitting, think about the limiting beliefs that may be seeded in your subconscious. An example: the conscious limiting belief is that life is hard and the subconscious belief is that you’re not deserving; thus making life hard for you.
Step 2: Understand
Find the root cause. You have to peel all the layers of your WHY. Why do you believe what you believe and what are all the ways it shows up in your life?
Step 3: Rationalize
Break down the limitation until you no longer identify with it. You can process this through meditation, journalizing, or speaking with someone.
Step 4: Release it
Once you have gone through the first 3 steps, you will reach a point where you are able to release your limitation. It will no longer be part of you and you will no longer associate yourself with it. This process can be quick or lengthy, it all depends on how long you’ve been carrying this limiting belief around and how it’s impacted your life.
You can apply this process to all your limiting beliefs. And as you process these feelings, you will gain new awareness and develop a new perspective.
If you want to learn how to implement these ideas and be coached by me, you can email me at truepassioncompany@gmail.com.
Patricia Renovato, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
For over a decade, Patricia kept ignoring the growing sensation that she could do more to serve the world. It was daunting to think about dramatically changing her life without direction. After spending some time searching for the answer, Patricia found her calling as a Life Coach. This became the vehicle for her to facilitate the transformation of people who felt stuck in their life, not knowing how to begin a new journey. Patricia dedicates her time to connecting people with their genuine passion for living a passionate and purposeful life. Patricia’s innate ability to see people’s potential beyond their purview inspires clients to work through the inner blocks preventing them from living their dream.
