The Ever-Expanding You
By Brian Germain
We
are all in a constant state of flux, as life causes us to expand to fit the
needs of our present reality. We are growing into clearer expressions of our
true nature, and our experiences are shaping that unfolding every step of the
way. The rate at which we expand is based on our level of fear. The more we
allow fear to drive our thoughts and actions, the slower we expand into our
highest selves, and beyond.
Fear limits expansion because it is,
in its very essence, contraction. We do not want to encounter novelty when we
are in a state of fear, because new means different challenges requiring
different solutions. If we fall short of a mark that matters, our fear worries,
we may lose more than we are prepared to lose. Fear lives in the poverty
mentality, the feeling that what we have is all we are going to get, so we had
better hold on to it. For this reason,
fear does not allow us to take risks of money, heart, or other life challenges
that may lead us to profound benefit. Fear drives us to remain with the status
quo, whatever it is.
The true nature of a healthy, happy
human being is one of joyous expansion into the unknown. We love the feeling of
being on a roll, on the edge of control, allowing our happiness to be our
guide. Richard Bach once called us the "Otters of the Universe"; playful beings
who desire to celebrate each and every moment. This is who we really are. When
fear takes over, the playing stops, and we begin to be someone that does not
reflect this true nature.
If you do not feel good, you are not
expressing your true nature. If you are worried about what others think about
you more than you are focusing on what you personally enjoy and want to pursue,
you are cutting yourself off from your inner power. Your uncensored joy is your
real muscle in this world. Fear and its objects are just a distraction from
this flow of mind and body that leads you to who you really are.
Yes, there are negative consequences to
failure. Yes, there are bad things that can happen. Fear is the natural first response
you feel when you look at these possibilities, but that is merely your true
self telling you that you are focused in a direction that you do not want to
go. If you continue to focus in that direction, you will feel worse and worse,
and you will lose your power to create change for the better. If you focus long
enough and hard enough, you will be drawn to the eventual unfolding of this
negative possibility. Yes, you are that powerful.
You are also powerful enough to focus
your thoughts, emotions and actions in the direction of your choosing. You can select
your heading based on what would bring you to the highest level of positive
emotion. This is not hedonism, it is wisdom in action. Your higher self knows
that joy is the indicator that you are on the right track. You will discover
that when you are doing something that brings out positive emotion, you are
most powerful, and your actions, upon later reflection, were the right ones.
Your emotions are always there to guide you toward expansion. There is no
expansion in the wrong direction, there is only expansion. There are decisions
to make all along the way, and all you need to do is keep choosing based on
your gut-felling. If it feels good, do it. If it feels bad, don't do it. Either
way, you are expanding your clarity of who you really are by recognizing what
you prefer.
Fear will never go away, because it is
far too important as an early warning of danger. We must simply learn to notice
it, recognize where it is coming from and why we are feeling it, and then focus
on solutions, and the joyous road that leads us to what we love. The feeling of
surrendering fear and going with the flow of joy and love is the best of all
our experiences. Being without fear would deprive us of that feeling of relief.
Living on the mountaintop is not as pleasurable as traveling from the valley to
the summit and experiencing the contrast.
Do not hate your fear. It is your
navigational signal, a messenger that helps you point your journey toward love,
joy and the expansion of who you truly are by clarifying what you do not want.
Love the messenger, and focus on flowing with the wisdom of the message. Turn
in the direction of the solutions and never look back toward the messenger.
You are unlimited when you choose love
and joy as your target emotions. Appreciate
the value of your fear, heed its warning, and let it go. Your true self has
nothing to do with that feeling. All negative emotion is simply a temporary
contraction that was guiding you away from your current heading. Your true
nature is the direct opposite of who you are being when you are steeped in
negative emotion. You are, in essence, a collection of your most positive
attributes and emotions. Focus on that, and you will expand that. You will merge
into the "real you", and by focusing on the things that bring you to positive
emotion, you will expand the current best version of you into something even
better. There is no limit to how good it can get when joy is in the driver's
seat.
BSG