Recognizing, Transforming, and Releasing Fear

Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of halftime Talks. My name is Rahim, Rasul, and you guys are in for a treat today. Today, we’re gonna be talking about a subject that we play around with, but we never directly looking at size, we’re gonna be talking about fear, fear, ooh, chilling, right? We’re gonna look directly in his eyes and try to understand exactly what it is and how we can maneuver through, transform it and go beyond it. Right. So for the first time listeners, thank you for joining us. And remember, we have ever green content. These are not time sensitive podcasts. So you go back into catalog and pick and choose ideas of topics that may meet where you’re at right now or discuss certain challenges you might be going through.

So take a look at the catalog. And without further ado, the episode. Yes, sir, we’re back. And today we’re going to be talking about fear clearly. And before we begin to really dive deeply, I think it’s important to define the subject of fear. You years ago in my journal, a guy explored the topic and I loved the definition, I came up with fear. Fear is the reluctant expectation of unintended events. So in a definition, you have two words that kind of the kind of, don’t necessarily mesh, you have reluctant, which is, man, I hope this doesn’t happen, and expectation, but I bet it will have unintended effects. So this is what fear really looks like. But before I can tell you how I want you guys to really understand why I do the series why I do these podcasts, it’s because it looking at the world and looking at my peers, my friends, the people I cover contact with on a day to day basis, what are the things that I notice is that we’re leaving so much of our potentiality on the table.

So we’re discussing an idea like fear. I hope that we take the time to take personal inventory of how we can explode through these barriers, how we can peel off that resistance, how we can become physically, mentally, spiritually more aerodynamic, with less of the drag. So now let’s talk about the typical kinds of fears that are out there in the world. I talked to some people in preparation for this podcast, and they told me one of their biggest fears is public speaking, being to an audience of 510 100 or even 1000. Having all those eyes to send out you transfixed to the middle of the stage with what you’re going to say that that you can’t say it but man, there’s a lot of pressure down with a smile, but a Will I be able to say it.

So there’s a fear of public speaking. Another common fear dealt with dying and death, styles of dying. I don’t want to be burned in a fire fear fire or I fear drowning. Or just in general, I fear death, like what happens when the soul leaves the body. A lot of religions tell us stories of a heaven and hell and oh my gosh, I hope I hope go to help. What happens? What is this devil? So we we have the stories that that cultivated craft this level of fear. So these are just a few types of fears. Obviously, it doesn’t really cover the whole gambit of the fears that are out there. But as we begin to examine them, they have something to cover. There’s this attachment to the outcome.

There is this attachment to an essential desire. But yet, there’s a reluctant anticipation of an unintended event that you will end up somewhere IX period six subject that you never intended. Before I could see you I want to drive home the point that we’re leaving a lot on the table that there is a light within us that we are destined to share with the world. And sometimes ideas like fear stand in its way. So what I want to do now is I want to play a clip from a movie called Coach Carter, where shares Marianne Williamson says Porb, Our deepest fear, and it was probably made most popular by Nelson Mandela’s inauguration speech. So but get into this clip. Here we go. [Clip from Coach Carter: Marianne Williamson’s “Our deepest fear” passage.] That piece was absolutely riveting. I remember the first time I heard it, you know, you have those lines, we are all meant to shine like children to not just some of us, but all of us.

Where do fears really begin? And are they actually natural are they inherit, and who we are as human beings. And the more that I study nature, the more that I observe what we call wild animals, I begin to understand that no, it’s it’s not natural, it is a response to a story, the psychological building blocks of our mind. In the wild, you have animals that they respond to threats, there is a respect of nature, and understanding all the players position with it. A Reiki go away that the world flows. So if you look at a gazelle or even a squirrel, they will respond to a threat, not necessarily the psychological build up of a fear. Yet we have crafted stories to explain our way to situations that these fears begin to emerge, the stories become just as powerful as the fear the stories ignite that a catalyst to get us into that state where we feel fearful or afraid.

The younger we are we respond to things in our environment that we are completely unaware of like the dark or loud sounds or an absence of our mommy or our father. At a certain age, we release those initial fears. And so looking at these fears of public speaking of heights of planes of all these things, we realized that the story hasn’t been broken, a pattern has not been interrupted. And I’ve noticed that these fears that we have usually organize themselves said for for so categories. One is a fear of loss, a loss of possession, a loss of time, a loss of money, a loss of life, liberty, a loss of happiness. And so therefore we’ll build these walls to try to keep what we have keep what is there safe.

There’s also a fear of inadequacy or not being good enough, a fear of failure, fear that I put enough of myself for the line, will I actually be able to perform and so what happens a wall goes up, and we limit our own potential, our own opportunity to, to express that light that the poor have shared with us that we’re naturally able to express. We don’t invest in failure. So therefore we don’t even give ourselves the chance to iteratively grow. There’s another fear of the unknown where we create a story from a blank canvas. Just because it is blank. Does it mean that it’s going to populate itself with fake some consider evil or stakes that others consider? Negative. So there’s a fear of the adored.

Another fear is there’s hidden consequences. There’s things we may have done, that we’re waiting for the other shoe the fall, either we’re not worthy, or we feel that we will be judged. There’s another fear of a social judgement where we’re putting See, our social status or the line our position something that we’ve worked hard for, I don’t want to risk it, I don’t want to risk being embarrassed, and having a less than social standing in the group. And like I said earlier, these fears are rooted in the attachment to the outcome, not necessarily the process. Because sometimes we have to go through a process in order to come up the other side, as a more expanded ready to meet the world B. Now we have a general sense of what these fears are, from a general perspective.

But how does it typically show itself because once we understand how it shows itself, we can begin to cultivate a level of awareness that we could shift or begin to shift our response to it. It begins with that hesitation. With that pause. It begins with the feelings of anxiety that start building up within us. It begins with that feeling of discomfort, like I don’t want to enter in over there. And sometimes it’s paralyzing. And it freezes us we’re rendered immobile, that we take no action out of either a lack of confidence or just being locked up so much by fear. And no, I’m not here to sound like a Negative Nelly, because the great thing about fear is, it’s it’s a great indicator, I’m not saying ignore the fear.

But what I’m saying is, look at it dead on in its eyes and ask ourself, so fundamental questions of what kind of opportunity exists on the other side of this fear? If I were to internalize it and see a different perspective of it, what am I capable of the great thing about fear is it’s sometimes common and a lot of people so it is an initial barrier of entry. Greatness is sometimes the difference between a gauging and disengaging as we begin to uncover and look at differently. Some of these things that we say we fear, there’s an opportunity that exists right there at the center at its core, for us to evolve for us to grow for us to become more full and whole individuals, a badger, the person who doesn’t like fly a bench and how much of the world opens to them.

And those who know how great travel is, how much would this individual benefit from experiencing a variety of personalities all across the planet? So there’s an upside to fear. It is a conversation full of information, if we would just take a second and begin to look, because not all fears right there on the surface. Not all fear is articulated will sometimes we have to probe deeply within that hesitation and anxiety and ask a question because like, even in the most recent episode that I did, on rank high teacher, I didn’t realize that I was scared to let go of a part of my business because I didn’t know what was on the other side, that fear of the unknown and how I was going to compensate to, to let go of a certain amount of income, did I have faith that it could be restored another way, there was a fear there, there was a fear that I may fail, or I may not be holding up, or I may not be good enough for what I have is it enough.

But that kind of awareness only comes to those who seek it out. That kind of awareness is only available when you take the time to sit down at a quiet space and examine I know everybody is as introspective as somebody like myself. But I would implore you to explore these areas to areas that you say, you’re pretty reluctant to iterate because you cannot necessarily predict the outcome, we have to invest in some of that discomfort. That discomfort means that there’s an opportunity for you to grow a vast big spaces, it’s uncomfortable for a reason. And if it’s uncomfortable for you, it’s probably uncomfortable for a lot of other people. Therefore, this is a barrier of entry. And there’s only a select few that have been willing to process the information that from a perspective of anxiety, but from a perspective of a doozy so it’s those bubbles, you feel like, hey, getting on a plane isn’t easy.

You know, I put my faith in God. I said, God take care of me, you know, or let this be the end. Either way, it’s out of my control, but I’m still going to engage sitting in front of a large audience of people. Does it necessarily affect what I know? I just have to present it. And I’m sure that as I lower and I gain a perspective and I lower all the stories I’m telling ya myself about being judged by a group of people, I’m able to deliver a lecture or a presentation that represents my highest faculties as they are fear is the ego, telling you a story over and over again, trying to protect you, by not having you even into the party. But just like being scared of the dark as a young individual, we have to grow up.

And I’ll not say it, just ignore your fears. They’re legitimate. But what we must do is integrate the trade said through them, and evolve with them, we have to make that part of us we have to shift our perspective, the best way to do that is first to have that level of awareness. Second is to understand what is happening. And third is to interrupt that story as quick as possible with a broader perspective. I’m safe, everything’s all right, nothing is really at risk. There is nothing that is just static in its its failure, or its success. This is a process I will grow, I will continue to evolve. I may not get it right the first time. But who does failure is only the first attempt at learning.

As we shift that inner dialogue that we habitually have, we reach those levels of discomfort, we’re able to transform what we have once had a feeling of anxiety it to a feeling of enthusiasm, it all fairness, our mind is a powerful thing. Our mind is able to construct barriers, psychological barriers that separate us from things that we initially feel that are harmful. It does a pretty good job. It’s it’s trying to protect us, but it tried to protect us. Sometimes it limits us psychologically, not environmentally with threats. Obviously, I already spoke upon that threats are a respect for the environment in a way that is in the moment. Fear has a psychological hold on our mind. And therefore body where we, over and over. We play out the scenario, a billion times, even though it will only happen, what’s our body doesn’t know the difference between us actually experiencing it and physically, mentally roleplay it.

Therefore the anxiety that it creates is real anxiety over time, creates a sense of depression creates a negative stack nation, it has this oval bed somewhere will take us into dark places, we begin to personify and link that to things that our environment, that it shouldn’t be linked to one fear cascades to another, and another, our light begins to diminish. And we lead a less than exceptional life that we were destined to lead. At birth, we have to become aware of our pattern aware of that anxiety, that hesitation, that discomfort. And I’m not saying we have to fix everything at once. But as we take on one piece at a time, one fear at a time, one area at a time, and we integrate it we don’t necessarily have to perfect it.

But imagine the potential that exists for going to somebody who did do anything in that space to somebody pretty decent at it. And imagine that in other areas of your life. So what we got to do is we got to interrupt those patterns interrupt those stories that our mind is trying to protect us fro fears are legitimate. But if we approached it in an honest and earnest way where we respect them, and we look at it long enough to understand what is the big story here, and we can deconstruct it and reconstruct it in a way that empowers us what an episode I like to thank you guys for listening to those who made it through one of our longer episodes. In researching this episode, I clearly stumbled posit things that I had to take account for that I had to completely go into my personal workshop cover.

And if I did, I’m pretty sure everybody else did. I wanted this to ignite questions in your mind and that wants you to actually wrestle with the ramifications of these questions. To look To fear to do live, not to be intimidated by challenge by to continue to peel back the layers that you choose to reach to make sure you guys go to halftime talks that check out our old episodes are also available on iTunes, the other popular podcast platforms. Check us out on social media. That’s gonna be available in the show notes. Make sure you tell a friend. Share it on your social economy. Let us know what you think. iTunes rate subscribe. relisted to it. Let us know what your date Ebell us. Tweet us.

Hit us on Instagram. Let us know. I absolutely love creating this episode for you guys. I’m a philosopher. I love to exploration ideas and I hope they’re meaningful, practical, impactful. You know, they imply a little bit of work that needs to be done. I don’t think you guys are the type that are going to shy away from being your best. So continue listening. And I look forward to serving you. This has been another episode of halftime talks. Peace