I was thinking, if I really was trapped inside my house, and I knew that I had no option but to stay confined within my own walls for the rest of my life, would I suffer? Probably not, I thought. If I really believed that I was completely unable to leave my home, that I was truly trapped, I would find whatever happiness I could in my situation. I would accept that life, my life at least, was only what I knew it to be, and I would adjust. I would immerse myself in the small pleasures I had available to me, and I would make an attempt to be happy.
But this made me think; because I know that I am not trapped, I crave something different, something outside my known world. The only thing that stops me from seeking the world outside my own is fear. I limit myself because "I can't" or "I shouldn't" or, tragically, "I won't." But really, why not? What is stopping me from opening up that yarn shop, or writing that book, or getting that vendor's license and selling handmade jewelry on the streets of the city? I know full well that I am completely capable. I am intelligent and well spoken and resourceful. So what's the issue?
In a word, fear. Fear is that irrational little voice that says no. I know that I am able, but fear makes me doubt. Without fear, I wouldn't question my ability to do something. I would just get on with it. And if I failed, I would learn from my failure and try again. Or move on to something else. The point is, I wouldn't give up. But because I fear, I keep myself trapped, even though I know that I'm not. So how do I move past the fear?
I suppose the only way is to move with it. I know that it'll still be there, but it doesn't immobilize me. Even if I walk out the door and don't have a clue where I'm going, I should at least walk out the door. Rather than over-thinking every move and every turn I take, I should just go where my body and my heart take me. That's intuition. Sure, I may get lost the first time, or even the first few times, but who doesn't? I can't expect myself to get it right the first time, every time. I'm not perfect. The point is, I keep walking.
But ah, now that I know the limitlessness of my options, suddenly the fear isn't quite so thick. Suddenly there's light shining down the paths that I had once kept closed to myself. Since I know that I am able to travel those paths, the fear seems less decisive. It has less of a voice. And because it fades, more light shines through, and more fear fades.
And what about you? You're human, just as I am. I think deep down, you also know that you are not trapped, which is why you search for something different, or something more. All living creatures know, in there deepest gut, that they are limitless. If we weren't, there would be no art, there would be no imagination, there would be no space travel, there would be no love. Imagine not being trapped. Imagine being able to do anything you want to do, without fear. Imagine that you are capable of limitless love, both for yourself and those around you. What does it feel like?
What fears do you have holding you back? Are they justified?
