08/30/2017
The article from Keith, the MRW day speaker, that will be going into the September MWI Newsletter:
The Magic of Mindfulness; Overcoming your Fears
By: Keith Macpherson
One does not have to venture far outside of themselves to be met with stories of fear and adversity. Hourly news reports are regularly sharing the stories of misfortune, heartbreak and tragedy that seem to be so prevalent in the world. Many of us unconsciously live our own lives in a state of fear as well. Without knowing it, there are many moments throughout the day that trigger fear within us and cause us to either shut down, freeze or run the other way. The interesting thing is that many times our fears that appear to be so real in the moment simply end up being False Evidence Appear Real (FEAR). As a mindfulness coach and mindfulness practitioner, I have come to discover that although we will always have a version of fear (or False Evidence Appearing Real) playing out in our consciousness, it is our awareness and mindful responses to each situation that will make all the difference to how each event will play out.
I recently noticed myself experiencing a version of fear playing out in my own consciousness when I took my vehicle into the mechanics for servicing and was met with a $3000 repair bill for new brakes and struts. Upon receiving the news that my car was going to cost me $3000, I immediately felt myself freeze up and move into a state of internal fear. The thought that I was not going to have enough money to pay this bill immediately consumed my attention and there I was, in a state of fear. I started thinking about all the sacrifices that I would have to make in order to pay the ginormous bill and I felt myself getting more and more frustrated and upset about the whole situation in my mind. In that immediate moment, I decided to take a few deep breaths and remind myself that this was an opportunity to practice mindfulness. In my upcoming book, Making Sense of Mindfulness it is suggested that fear only exists in a past or a future thought. It is not ever happening in the present moment. Consider that right here and in every present moment, you are never in fear. In order to activate fear you have to enter into a thinking pattern that triggers a past or future scenario that is not actually playing out in the very present moment that you are currently experiencing. For me, while standing at the desk of my mechanic, I was in a state of fear triggered by a future thought that was suggesting there would not be enough money to pay the car bill. As soon as I gave this future-based thought my attention and energy, a pattern started forming and I immediately began to focus on this future fear becoming true. Although it was not real in the moment, every part of me was convinced that it soon would become real.
Instead of letting the future fear that suggested, I would not having enough money, consume me completely, I immediately engaged in a mindfulness practice. I took a few deep breaths, I re-focused my mind, I placed my hand on my heart and I stated, “There is an abundance of money flowing to you and through you all of the time. Relax and let it flow. You are safe”. I repeated this sentiment in my mind over and over with feeling until I felt an internal shift take place. Although fear was trying to convince me otherwise, I used the present moment to gain back my true power and made a conscious decision in both my head and my heart that this situation was going to work out perfectly and that I was safe.
To my surprise, two days after paying the car bill (in a newfound spirit of gratitude for the mechanic’s great work and with thoughts of abundance), I opened my mailbox to receive a check for $5000 that came from an unexpected source. All the energy I that had spent in the present moment worrying about a future fear that didn’t even manifest into reality was once again an experience of False Evidence Appearing Real.
I share this story in hopes that as you begin to integrate a mindfulness practice into your own life, you consciously remember that the present moment is where your real power exists. You have a choice in each moment to decide how you are going to look at the external scenarios that are playing out in your life. Thoughts of fear will immediately shut you down while thoughts of hope and optimism will produce miraculous results. As Wayne Dyer once said, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”. Here are a few mindfulness tips to cultivate a fearless lifestyle:
1. Refrain from listening and giving your attention to depressing and fearful news stories that may be playing out in your environment. Instead, focus your attention on stories of joy, happiness and great successes.
2. Monitor your thoughts as you move through the day. Do not give your attention to fearful thoughts that are outside of the present moment. Instead, focus on the present moment and choose thoughts that build you up instead of beat you up.
3. Create a sentence that you can repeat over and over in times of stress and fear to remind you that everything is going to be alright. One of my favorites is, “Everything is working out perfectly on time and I am safe!”.
Keith Macpherson is a mindfulness coach and author. To receive a daily inspirational email and other gifts, visit him at http://www.keithmacpherson.ca
