deeply rooted
When scared, the untrained mind instinctively reacts in self-defense. In addition to what you already know about fear being an unreliable assessor of danger, it’s important to recognize that the thing your ego wants to protect you from often has little to nothing to do with what you are experiencing in the present.
Through the course of your life you have accumulated a complex network of emotional energy. Never underestimate the interplay between these energies in your perception of the present moment. There’s generally not just one thing contributing to your current state.
The majority of what you experience on a daily basis moves through you without incident, so when you feel a significant emotional response there is a reason. A stimulus has activated something within you that is calling for your care and attention. While it may have a tie to the present moment, it most likely also has roots that can be followed back through the narrative of your life.
In order to figure out what you actually need to shift in terms of your thinking, behavior, changes in your life, etc., you must understand the true cause of pain or fear that you want to alleviate. Otherwise you’re likely only masking secondary symptoms and not healing the source.
In the same way you can’t remove a weed by merely plucking it from the surface, you can’t effectively address these significant complex emotional responses without confronting them both in the present AND at their source, or sources, of origin.
Challenge yourself to more meaningfully examine the true depth of your next emotionally compelling experience rather than stopping once you’ve addressed the surface level concerns.
Dearest You,
When you feel anxiety, SLOW DOWN. The current cause of concern always has deeper roots.
Meaningful, long-term relief is found by exploring the true source of your fear.
Love,
Me
