Living Fearlessly

New age and "spiritual" terms are often heard in the mind where they float around just out of reach never to be fully grasped.  So, what exactly does "living fearlessly" mean?  Does it mean that we are never afraid?  That we just blindly push forward no matter how scary things may seem?  Do we just think positively and everything will be A-OK?  Hell no.  In fact it's quite the opposite. 

We seem to be living in a time where all anyone wants is to chill.  We are all sick of the fighting, sick of the pollution, sick of the economy, sick of our jobs, sick of politics, sick of our relationships, seems maybe we are just sick of ourselves.  We humans seem to have a desperate need to stay in the warmth and safety of our neat little comfort zones but right now there isn't a comfort zone in sight.  We are all sharing in some sort of global un-comfort zone and we just don't know what to do with ourselves.  As soon as discomfort rears it's head we grab a drink, pop a pill, pick up the phone.  We even watch the news desperately waiting for someone to tell us we can relax, everything has returned to that warm familiar place but, that announcement never comes.  So, what if these old comfort zones have totally broken down and our grasping for them is only keeping us in a  very unhappy place?   Surly this isn't the first time we've experienced this, we've all done it at one time or another... that relationship we desperately hold onto for fear of being alone or the job that is no longer working for us but we just can't seem to find the courage to look for a new one.  We ask ourselves things like "what if it's even worse than what I have now" or "what if I never meet another person like he/she again" but... what if the next job is better?  What if the next lover is even more loving?  How will we ever know that if we stand here like deer in headlights waiting for the blow to force us to move?  What if the path to happiness is not paved with roses underfoot and lullabies in the sky but is the one where we have to walk right into... our own shit.  It is on this path that we could make good use of an understanding of fearless living.  It is on this path that we encounter that ever illusive idea of "true happiness".  To practice living fearlessly means to go down deep into those places that do scare us.  To make the decision to face our demons, to even befriend our demons no matter how scary they may be.  In a culture were we've become obsessed with "the pursuit of happiness" this can seem counter productive.  Yet all the great teachings tell us "happiness lies within".  It's just that they've left out the little footnote stating "it's tucked away, in a castle, guarded by our demons".  The only way to find true, lasting, inner happiness, the kind that is still there humming idly while we move through the ups and downs of life, is to battle those demons... the only way out it through.  

This idea brings to mind the Mario Brothers video game.  Remember that one?   You went through a multitude of  levels fighting off little turtles and fish and things that were more annoying than harmful but, in order to get to the castle, in order to save the princess, you had to fight the big guy.  There was no way around it.  So, did you ever just stop, right there at the castle claiming that it was just too scary to continue so, instead you were going to stand outside the castle and wait to see if someone else came by and just handed you the princess?  Sounds ridiculous but this is what we do in our lives all the time.  How many times have you passed up what you truly wanted because you weren't quite sure if you were good enough, if you were "ready"?  How many times have you settled for less because you didn't think you could really have the best?  How many times have you stayed where you were unhappy or uncomfortable for fear of the unknown?  We all do it and these things we do, these thoughts we have are the demons we need to fight and that's not easy.  To really look at the reasons we give in and settle takes courage.  Sometimes it's not so pretty inside but you see the trick is that just under the mud and the dirt, just under our fear and our harsh measuring stick is the shining gem of happiness.  All it really means to live fearlessly is to take a big courageous look at... ourselves.  The good, the bad and the ugly just the same.  When we look at ourselves in this way it becomes much easier to touch our hearts and our true desires and when we do that it becomes much easier to take risks in our lives.  It is human nature to be willing to take risks for the things that matter most to us.  So, maybe we need to do a little work on our self worth before we can look for that new job or that new relationship, that's ok.  Better than sticking with things we don't like, indefinitely.  Sometimes it takes courage to even admit that we aren't comfortable with our job, our relationship, ourselves and this is when we practice living fearlessly.  Right there in the mist of our own dung piles.  It's not about not being scared it's about being brave even when we are scared.  The only way to broaden our comfort zones are to be willing to be uncomfortable for a little while and THAT is what truly fearless living is all about.  ~Rosemary