Judith Williamson on fear

Napoleon Hill states that fear is nothing but faith in reverse gear. Just as what we think about we become, what we fear we draw toward us. Fear is comprised of worry, and worry is simply negative thoughts that tell our subconscious mind what to focus on and what to manifest in our lives. Most people would disagree with this definition of fear.

Many state that they worry because they do not want what they fear to turn up in their lives. This seems like a logical approach, however, given the way the mind
works we know that what we “see” on the screen of our mind works its way into our reality. Again, what we think about, we give power to and eventually become. Knowing this, it makes perfect sense to stop the worrying process.

How does one do this? Since worry is comprised of a series of negative thoughts that are repeated over and over again, a good way to combat worry is to hold positive thoughts in our mind.

This can be done through affirmations that are repeated over and over again, not just stated one time. If the antidote to worry is to retrain our mind to think positively, then affirmations must be the mental vitamins that we need to take continually to reroute our thinking.      

There are seven basic fears: fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of love, loss of liberty, old age, and death. Each of the fears is real even if it is only imaginary. It is said that if you think you are sick, you are. This    
saying holds true for all of the seven basic fears as well.

Believe that we are poverty stricken, and all the wealth in the world would not convince us otherwise. Believe that we are sick, and no test results to the contrary would heal us. Believe that our freedoms are limited, and we unconsciously limit our freedoms. The list goes on and on. Again, what we think becomes our reality.      

Thinking makes it so.      

The point in knowing the basic fears is so that we can eradicate them in our lives. Like weeds, they will crop up when we are weak and have not done our mind maintenance. This crop of weeds begins to grow, takes a strong foothold, and soon smothers out all the good seeds that have begun to sprout. Weeds can take over a garden quicker than buds can blossom into flowers. It’s a fact that gardeners know all too well.      

Write down a list of what you fear most. Face it head on, put your hand out in a STOP fashion, and refuse to accept the consequence of what you fear. Determine that this fear does not apply to you, that you refuse to accept it, and quickly direct it to retreat to wherever it came from.

When we take the first step in eradicating fear, Napoleon Hill says that we have essentially stopped fear in its tracks. Remember to combat the thing that you fear the most, don’t pet it, don’t feed it, and don’t give it an audience. Show it the door and when it retreats, slam the door shut behind it and throw away the key.

Next, cultivate new things to be faithful rather than fearful about, and the goodness will take root and overcome the bad. Remember affirmations, affirmations, affirmations.

Heal your fears with faith! There is no better way to rid your mind garden of its ugly weeds.