I find it helps to frequently remind myself that, "Fear is just excitement with an attitude." There is a place of consciousness, where we can allow ourselves to be more focused on the current experience. By allowing our self to just observe the moment without judgment, it is possible to see the dynamics of change as merely energy. Labels of good or bad quite simply cloud the situation and make unclear our choices and frequently predetermine our reactions. We are then more than likely to repeat history or habits rather than learn from the experience. By allowing change to be viewed primarily as energy it can be utilized more effectively for the lesson that is to be learned. By being patient in observing our lives in real time, we are less likely to become lost in the fantasies and negative guesses of what we think might happen.
It's like being in a movie theater and right behind us a couple of guys are talking and distracting us from the movie. You have the urge to just turn around and say, "Why don't you just shut up and watch the movie ?". Well, most likely those guys talking are our thoughts, judgments, doubts and worries about the past and future. If we allow this incessant internal chatter to distract us, we are going to miss the movie. The movie is our life !
Through patient curiosity and sensitive observation, seeking the center of now offers the greatest opportunity for spontaneity, balance, and freedom of choice.
In a recent talk with a wonderful friend of mine, John, we discovered that there was a direct relationship between how much fear we experienced and how far we let our thoughts travel either into the past or the future.