Living in Fear

by Colleen Canney - Career, Life, and Wellness Coach

Fear serves as the bodyguard of the heart and will exert considerable influence in ensuring love doesn’t enter. This bodyguard stands outside the heart, keeping watch with an intimidating stance. In his hands, the bodyguard holds a checklist that reads:

* Don’t make yourself too vulnerable or you may get hurt
* Don’t let people see the real you or they may not like you
* Don’t show any weakness or you will be seen as a coward
* Don’t get too close to people or they may leave you


When love comes wandering towards the heart, eagerly seeking to connect with its life source, the bodyguard stops love dead in its tracks. The bodyguard gazes at love with piercing eyes and says, “What is your intention?” Love replies that it merely seeks entrance into the place it’s meant to me. The bodyguard then reviews the checklist and decides allowing this thing called love in is much too risky. Love appears to be innocent but this makes the bodyguard even more skeptical. It’s always the innocent ones that cause problems. What if love completely dissolves fear? Then what? The bodyguard shutters at the mere thought of this. The doorway to the heart would be wide-open and who knows what could happen. “No way is love entering. I don’t trust it,” thinks the cynical bodyguard. Even though love appears to have no ulterior motives, it has this unassuming powerful quality to it. Fear may not have a chance of survival if love enters. Then fear would be extinct and there would be no protection for the heart.

The heart looks longingly at love through a small peephole. It sees love with wide hopeful eyes, ready to be let in. The heart has such a strong desire to welcome love in but then fear takes over and says, “What are you thinking? Are you crazy?” The heart shuts the peephole, knowing the bodyguard will shoo away love.

The heart experiences a sense of relief sprinkled with a sense of loss. At least living in fear is a known and it’s a seemingly comfortable state. The heart thinks, “I am grateful to have fear protecting me otherwise love would break through.” Then the heart remembers what it’s like to allow love in. The heart smiles at these memories. Love is carefree. Love is nourishing. Love flows freely and there are no constraints. Suddenly the heart snaps back to reality, becoming constricted and hardened again.

The bodyguard says to love, “Go away. You aren’t on the list and therefore you cannot enter. Try again some other time.” Love sighs, drops its shoulders in a defeated gesture, and casts one final saddened gaze at the entrance to the heart. Then love slowly turns and walks away thinking, “How do I get past fear? If only the heart would realizes how much it needs me and desperately wants me. I must remain persistent and keep trying. I must conquer fear. Someday I will win!”

Email Colleen Canney

Leave this article and return to Self Motivation Tips
Return to Aura-Answers Homepage