Fear or Curiosity? Your Perception is the Key

Fear - What is fear? The Oxford Dictionary coins fear as, "an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat." Some common synonyms for the word fear are terror, fright, panic, anxiety, distress, dread; all feelings which are associated with a perceived threat. Albeit some fear is good and necessary to keep us safe; however, there are many fears that are based on a learned belief from someone else. Isn't a belief an opinion and isn't an opinion based on one's perception?

I came across this quote in a podcast by Rebecca Rosen, "Fear is nothing more than: False Evidence Appearing Real." But what does it really mean? It means we are human, and we consist of a body, mind, and spirit. The ego is the mind, or the one who likes to cause F.E.A.R. Our spirit reminds us that the ego is merely trying to keep us under its control, and to do that it will make us fearful. That F.E.A.R. the ego uses to keep us under its spell needs to be approached with curiosity rather than anxiety. When we make this choice, we change our perception about the situation and see it from the perspective of the spirit, a learning situation. To do this, ask yourself this question: What is (this experience) trying to teach me? Instead of our ego's favorite question: Why me? When we start to look at life for the lessons we are to learn, instead of playing the victim, things begin to shift and change for the better.

So, if it is as simple as redirecting your thought with a question - why is F.E.A.R. so powerful? The reason F.E.A.R. has such a hold on us is that it is ingrained in our being. From the time we are born, we start learning from those in our closest circle. We learn about our world through these people. What they like, we like. What they fear, we fear. Some of these fears being passed down for generations and some are learned as we grow. We learn how to be respectful, not to disappoint, how to be heard and who should be heard, who's opinions are important, and how to gain approval. One of the biggest untruths we internalize is to fear the unknown, the basis of most anxiety. But what if it is in that unknown that we need to be, in order to grow and become the version of ourselves the world needs.

Most recently, I was given a choice: to continue doing what I had been, teaching in a system I no longer believed in or start a traveling yoga business. I was entering my 17th year of teaching and had only recently begun to see yoga as a viable career choice. It was not an easy choice, as my ego was hard at work trying to persuade me to stay with the known, as it still is. However, my soul was a bit more persuasive and here I am. I officially notified my district of my upcoming retirement and filed my paperwork with ORS (Office of Retirement Services), I am 56, a wife, a mom, a grammy, and now a retired schoolteacher - and I couldn't be happier!

Traveling Yoga with Lisa T officially opened for business on 8/8/2024 (888 for those who believe in the Lion's Gate Portal) at 8:00pm (8888 is better than 888) when I hit the publish button on my website builder. Am I scared? Absolutely, but I like to think of those butterflies as my soul's reassurance that I am right where I need to be. Am I ready? As ready as I can be for taking a plunge into the unknown. You see, I was raised with the understanding to do what is expected, not always necessarily in line with my beliefs, but something I did, nonetheless. This time, I got curious for a change and decided to follow my heart instead of listening to the status quo. I am diving into Traveling Yoga with Lisa T wholeheartedly - mind, body, and spirit.

Could it be we have been wrong about the butterflies in our stomachs all this time?