I meet fear with curiosity, compassion, and courage.

Affirmation:

I meet fear with curiosity, compassion, and courage.

Reading:

“In meditation we discover our inherent restlessness. Sometimes we get up and leave. Sometimes we sit there but our bodies wiggle and squirm and our minds go far away. This can be so uncomfortable that we feel it’s impossible to stay. Yet this feeling can teach us not just about ourselves but what it is to be human. All of us derive security and comfort from the imaginary world of memories and fantasies and plans. We really don’t want to stay with the nakedness of our present experience. It goes against the grain to stay present. These are the times when only gentleness and a sense of humor can give us the strength to settle down…so whenever we wander off, we gently encourage ourselves to “stay” and settle down.

… Aching knees and throbbing back? Stay! What’s for lunch? Stay! What am I doing here? Stay! I can’t stand this another minute! Stay! That is how to cultivate steadfastness.”

―  Pema Chodron. “The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times.” Shambhala Publications, 2001, pp 13 (ebook edition).

Spiritual Point of View:
When Ernest Holmes says that fear is simply “faith misplaced,” you’re invited to see fear in a new, gentler way—not as a failure, but as energy pointed in the wrong direction. From an interfaith perspective, every wisdom tradition meets fear with compassion rather than judgment. You’re not alone in it, and you’re not broken because of it.

In Buddhism, you’re reminded that fear often comes from attachment and the illusion of separation, and you’re invited to meet it with mindful awareness. Christianity encourages you to return to love and trust, remembering that perfect love casts out fear. The Judeo-biblical reassurance “Do not fear, for I am with you.”
Hindu philosophy points you back to your true Self, teaching that fear fades as you remember your oneness. Islam invites you into surrender, resting in divine guidance and care.

From a Science of Mind perspective, fear doesn’t come from what’s happening—it comes from the meaning you’re giving it. Fear is simply an indicator that you’re out of alignment with your Inner Being. You don’t fix it by force; you soften it by choosing thoughts that feel a little better, a little kinder, a little more trusting.

Fear becomes a signal—not a verdict—guiding you gently back to faith, love, and truth.