At any moment in our life, we are either acting from fear or acting from love, our thoughts and emotions are either coming from fear or from love.
We are always moving into a path of fear or a path of love, these two paths are not always clear and are disguised under several layers that we tend to not be aware of.
We all experience both, but the one that is normal is the path of fear. The vast majority of relationships, decisions, and actions in our world are based on fear, and lesser is based on love.
Let us shed some light on these two paths and distinguish the different faces of fear and love, and let’s do that by asking ourselves:
Am I acting out of fear or out of love?
Am I acting out of obligation or willingness?
Actions driven by obligations are concealed with fear. We will be making decisions because we should, we must, or we have to. Somehow, there is a hidden requirement, and as long as we feel obliged we will be developing resistance, and the more we resist the more effort is required.
Love actions are driven by willingness and wanting requires no effort and contains no resistance since our decisions and action are based on free will.
The path of love is the path of flow, fun, and joy.
Am I acting out of expectations or acceptance?
Actions driven by expectations are covered with fear. When acting from love, we do not expect something to happen. If nothing happens, it is not important. Our actions are rooted in acceptance, appreciation, learning, and growth.
Actions driven by love are independent of the outcome, and never hurt or disappoint.
Am I acting out of sympathy or empathy?
Actions driven by self-pity and sympathy are veiled with fear. When we feel sorry and see others as victims, we are not respecting and honouring the experience of others. Actions driven by love are based on respect and empathy.
Love is courage, compassion, and trust. It allows people the dignity of their experience.
Am I taking partial or full responsibility?
Actions driven by partial, shared responsibility are screened with fear. Fear avoids full responsibility and leaves room for blame. When we are taking hundred percent responsibility for our actions, we are taking full responsibility for our emotions and well-being.
An action driven by love is stemming from the belief that we are the co-creator of our world.
Am I acting out of emotions or serenity?
Actions driven by emotions such as anger, jealousy, and sadness are masked by fear. An action driven by love is always serene, kind, and caring.
Actions driven by love are generous and selfless.
Am I doing it to be loved or for the love?
Fear always hides behind conditions – statements such as, I love you if, or I love you because.
An act from love is unconditional and free from reasons and justifications.
We can keep going: Am I acting out of fear or out of love?
Am I isolating myself or trying to create intimacy?
Am I trying to create secrecy or do I want privacy?
Am I rescuing others or trying to facilitate?
Am I persecuting or challenging?
….
As you have noticed, how fear finds unlimited ways to conceal itself and wear various masks that are subtle to be recognized.
Our first step is to recognize and distinguish the place that our actions come from.
The second step is to be willing to accept that state.
When we recognize and when we are willing to fully accept our fear, when we allow ourselves to be at peace with that fear, only then can we have access to our free choice – the choice to shift the fear to love.
When we shift the source of our actions from fear to love, we are freeing our actions from fear – we are setting ourselves free.
To act from fear is bondage.
To act from love is freedom.