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Natural Awakenings Twin Cities

The Power of Facing Your Fears

Jul 29, 2016 08:49AM ● By Molly Friedenfeld

Molly Friedenfeld

Eleven years ago the only borders I was willing to cross were the Canadian and Mexican borders. Those felt safe to me. Any other border felt too foreign ... too scary.

Eleven years ago I regularly tucked myself into bed at night with fear by watching the evening news right before I went to sleep. I remember watching the news in the 1990s about the war raging between the Bosnians and the Serbs and thinking, "There is no way you will see me in that part of the world in this lifetime."

I used to think back then the people who delivered the news were just trying to keep me safe. But what I discovered was that I was allowing the people who delivered the news to steal my 'peace of mind.'

Eleven years ago I read magazines and watched TV shows that undermined the divine light in myself and other souls. I watched movies that contained violent scenes. I read scary books. I read magazines filled with gossip. I never felt good after reading about or watching negative programs of any kind. But I did it because that's all I knew. I didn't take the time to think about the bigger picture. I didn't take the time to ask my heart the question, "What if I just disconnect, disentangle, or detach from all these things that feel icky to me? Would I then feel better?"

Then at the divine time in my life, when the stars aligned and I connected in with the bigger picture, something ancient unlocked within my being and my search for truth began...I began having conversations with my heart and the Divine.

I started asking myself: “What would it be like to just stop watching the news and find out the information for myself? What if I stop reading these magazines that are full of gossip and cruel stories? Would I feel better about myself? What if the only music I listen to lights me up with lyrics that align with feeling good? Would I have a better outlook on life?"

As I began to peel back the layers of illusion placed upon me by myself and society, I found that all these things I was connecting into were creating a whirlwind of fear within my being. Once I began disconnecting from the fear machine, I began to change. I began connecting more and more with things that made me feel alive, beautiful, bright and authentic. I began to yearn for my own truth.

I began to realize that many of the things I saw on the news were exaggerated and sensationalized to create more dramatic headlines instead of perhaps the original intent ... to deliver the truth.

I came across a quote years ago by Eleanor Roosevelt: "Do one thing every day that scares you."

When I read that quote it sounded incredible to me. But I must say Eleanor Roosevelt spoke the truth, and doing one thing that scared me each day has allowed me to expand my world, my consciousness, my vision, my perspective and my life.

One of the things that scared me was world travel, crossing unknown borders and going to places where there was war, strife, and cultural differences. But here I am now, 11 years later, and as I type this I'm in Estepona, Spain. During our “Leaving Light Trails Journey” my husband and I have traveled through 15 different countries and 80 cities, and in many of these countries war has recently been waged.

We have visited places in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzogovenia, Czech Republich, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Hungary to name a few. And I am happy to report from the "front" that the world is full of magic, beauty and amazing people!

So I leave you with this ... do one thing that scares you every day. When we face our fears we allow our heart to expand across the years.

Let no one confine or define you, not even yourself. You are a powerful, brilliant, beautiful, resourceful, brave, strong, courageous and sovereign being of light. Go forth and create your own magic...and wherever you wander...and whomever you meet...leave your light there.

Wherever I wander ... I shall be brave enough to go places and do things that expand my heart, my soul and my consciousness.

Molly Friedenfeld, author, teacher, speaker and retreat leader, is on a mission to spread love and light. Her next Minnesota retreat is scheduled for August 12 to 14. For more information, visit MollyFriedenfeld.com.