Meditation for Fear or Hesitation

Feeling stuck or stopped? This meditation can help you understand what it is that holds you back to you can get past mental or emotional blocks.

Transcript

Bell sound Start by taking a few moments to connect with your breath.

You can focus on the coolness of the air as you inhale and it passes by your nostrils or your mouth.

The warmth of the air as you exhale.

You can focus on the rhythm of your breath.

The rate at which your body rises or falls with every inhale and exhale.

Maybe notice where your breath is stopping today.

It's stopping in your throat,

In your chest,

It's getting down into your belly.

Maybe take three deep breaths,

Breathing as deeply and as fully as you possibly can.

Try to fill your belly with air.

And start to connect with your body.

Notice any feeling or any emotional sensation in your body.

Ask yourself the question,

Where do I feel the day?

Where am I feeling the weight of the day today?

Now start to think of something that you would like to be different in your life.

Something that could be going better.

Could be in any area of your life.

Can be something you actually want to physically change or an attitude.

A different way to approach something.

It's just something that you'd like to do something about.

You haven't made it happen yet.

Maybe you're a bit hesitant or afraid to do it.

Try not to think too much about it.

Just go with whatever comes up for you naturally.

Now picture a situation where you actually have the opportunity to address that change.

Where you have the opportunity to live it out and make that change happen.

Whether you're about to pick up the phone or send an email or go to start a conversation with someone.

Whatever action or communication would be required to get the ball rolling.

Perhaps it's a situation that's come up in the past.

Or maybe it's just how you imagine it playing out when the time comes.

Either way,

Start to picture that situation in as much detail as possible and notice how it feels.

Notice the desire in you to see the situation end differently than it has in the past.

Now start to also notice any hesitation or fear you have coming up as well.

Like you to really start to connect with that feeling of hesitation or fear in your body.

Try to feel where that feeling is in your body.

You can take a hand and actually place it on that spot in your body.

Helping you stay connected with that feeling of fear or hesitation.

When fear is involved you'll also start to notice a negative voice or negative self-talk that starts to show up in your mind.

The purpose of this voice is to keep you from doing anything that could cause conflict.

That could cause others to say something negative about you.

Essentially this voice is trying to keep you in your comfort zone.

Now with the situation that you'd like to change in mind and connected with that feeling of fear or hesitation.

I'd like you to ask yourself the following.

What is the negative voice in my head saying about me in this situation as I consider making this change?

That voice may be saying something like,

You're going to fail.

You're not smart enough to do that.

They don't like you.

They're going to hate you.

Taking a few moments really start to pay attention to what your voice is saying about you.

Now that you likely have a line or saying from that negative voice in mind,

I'd like you to just put it aside.

Just let go of it for now.

Ask yourself the question,

What is that negative voice in my head really saying about me?

Now that you have that line or saying in mind,

Again just put it aside.

Let go of it for now.

Ask yourself the question again.

What is that negative voice in my head really,

Really saying about me?

It may be the same thing or it may be something different.

That line or saying that brings up the strongest emotional response in your body is likely the one that's truly deeply there and stopping you.

If you need to,

Pause the video.

If you need to,

Pause the video and continue to sit with this feeling in that voice in your head until you find the line,

One of those negative things that it's saying that truly sincerely strikes a chord with you.

Once you feel that you've identified that line or saying that your negative voice always says to you,

Take a few moments to notice how strong a hold it has on you.

Notice how strong it feels in your body,

How debilitating it can feel,

But how clearly present within you that voice is now that you notice it.

With that,

Billy Anderson,

Founder of the Courage Crusade,

Has a few words to share with you as you sit with this feeling,

With this awareness of that inner voice.

Everyone has this voice.

We are usually just embarrassed to talk about it.

This voice is actually a good thing.

When you feel that fear or hesitation come up and you notice that voice,

It signifies an opportunity to push yourself and experience something new,

Rather than being held back by that voice.

What this voice is saying to you is actually what you're most afraid other people will think of you.

It is important to know this voice isn't you.

It's not even reality.

This voice is the result of evolution telling us to play it safe,

Because for thousands of years you died unless you played it as safe as possible.

But now is your chance to be more than this voice,

To not let it limit you being your best,

Most awesome self.

Now that you know it's here,

You have the opportunity to notice it,

Acknowledge it,

And push through it.

Now,

Begin to picture the same situation as earlier,

Where you actually have the opportunity to address the change you want to see in your life,

Where you have the opportunity to make it happen.

Picture everything you can about that situation.

Picture where you might be,

What you might say,

What you might do.

Notice any fear or hesitation that comes up,

And the negative thoughts associated with it.

But this time,

Begin to picture how you might push through it.

Picture yourself noticing and acknowledging that feeling of fear or hesitation and that negative voice coming up.

But also picture yourself ignoring it.

Picture yourself being afraid,

But moving ahead and doing it anyway.

And then start to picture the positive outcomes that come from that.

Imagine how things might change as a result of you pushing through,

Of you moving ahead.

Imagine how life might be if that change you want actually happened.

Picture in detail everything you can about how life might be after that change.

Now notice the feeling in your body.

Notice how that positive outcome feels.

As we finish the meditation,

I'd like you to ask yourself the question,

What do I now know?

What have I learned from this experience?

You can continue to consider the answer to that question as you hear the chime of the meditation bells.

And at the end of the third bell,

You can open your eyes and come back to the room.

The bell is now ringing.

Reviews

Huge thank you for this. Eye-opening.

This is a powerful meditation 🙏🙏🙏

This was amazing! Thank you!

wonderful for fear before big change or when feeling stuck.

I really appreciate this meditation. It's been helping me visualize my fears and helps me work to overcome them. I'm not there yet but I will be soon. This meditation is very insightful and empowering. Thank you.

Fantastic! Thank you 😊🙏

This was extraordinarily helpful. Giving myself a moment to truly listen, allowed me to discover a voice of negativity so deeply embedded that I hadn’t recognized what it actually was saying. Now that I am more aware, I can move forward more skillfully. I’m so grateful for this. Thank you.

Thank you for this meditation 🙏

I had a super strong emotional response to this one! Had me in tears, but it was cathartic and gave me some clarity! Thank you so much!

Excellent session for analyzing and pushing through paralysis over fear.

This Meditation was Really helpful to realize the thoughts that come from my Fears... Really insightful

This can get you deep fast. Curious to observe how it helps over time.

Amazing. It works.

Wow - I genuinely believe this may improve my ability to keep up with my family on our ski trip this week. I now see that my fears and hesitations over skiing too fast are holding me back in other areas of my life too. When I can go forward with more confidence I'll reach my goals much quicker. There has been too much holding back. Thank you!

This was an extremely helpful and enlightening meditation. I feel inspired to challenge myself out of my comfort zone now. It really helped me look at what's really going on. 🙏 thank you. Will be coming back to this one.

Thank you so much. This was extremely enlightening.

Quite amazing only wish it was slower.

I found this really helpful in terms of preparing for a difficult conversation I will (hopefully) have the courage to have tomorrow. It also unexpectedly gave me insight into what underlies my fear.

A bit fast, so the suggestion to pause the playback is great.
It had a strong effect on me, thanks.