We all face fear sometime in our life.

And we all face pain sometime in our life.

Even though we try to avoid them as much as possible.

Still, life happens.

Situations beyond our control bring pain and fear to us.

The choice to feel them or not to feel them is always present.

When we have not learned how to face them with courage, we often run away from them.

To not engage with our pain or fear.

Sometimes, the situation demands that we don't deal with them.

For we have to be clear headed and controlled to get through the current challenge.

So we push the feelings aside until we have room to deal with them.

Too often, though, we never go back to actually allow those feelings to surface.

Instead we just keep pushing forward until some fantasy time in the future when we can pause.

That pause never comes for some of us.

Until we can no longer move on with our life.

The pain that we have accumulated one day becomes too much and we have to stop.

We have to listen to our body and our heart and let that energy pass through.

Diving into our fear and our pain is now harder than ever before.

But it seems that we have no choice.

For we have been running away from our fear and our pain for so long that it is no longer sustainable.

So we must feel our fear.

Feel our pain.

And it can become overwhelming.

There is so much to feel and experience that it can seem as if it is a tidal wave about to sweep us away.

Until we remember to breathe.

To breathe deeply.

When we experience our fear and our pain we stop breathing deeply.

The breath always become shallow and fast.

If we can just slow down our breathing and take our time the pain and fear will not be so overwhelming.

By breathing deeply we give space to our pain and fear.

We allow them to have room.

No just room inside of us, but room in our consciousness.

As we provide more space and time to really feel the pain and the fear, it lessens.

They dissipate.

What a minute ago felt overwhelming is now manageable.

Our heart rate begins to slow.

The pulse starts to come back to a normal rate.

This may not happen the first time we try.

Especially after so many years of denying our feelings.

Yet if we keep at it, eventually we find our peace.

We will find our way back to calm.

With our breath as our guide.

It will always guide us home through the fear and the pain.

Home to our heart.

No matter how broken it might feel, the breath will help it to be whole again.

And allow us to go on living our life with greater presence.

For when we allow ourselves to truly feel those deeply uncomfortable emotions, we will also be able to feel the expansive emotions of joy and love even more.

That is the reward of breathing through our pain and fear.

So is there a pain or a fear that you are still holding on to?

Can you find a way to be present to them and breathe your way through them?

~ Sam Liebowitz, The Conscious Consultant

Host of The Conscious Consultant Hour

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