How can you change anything in your life if you’re not aware of it? For example, do you notice how you talk to yourself? You know, the internal conversation that goes on all the time. Are the words you use kind, encouraging, uplifting, and gentle? Or are they growly, deprecating, name-calling, oppressive downers? If you become aware of that constant chatter, the stream of consciousness commentary, and listen to what is being said, you can start to change how you talk to yourself.

What about the thoughts you think, related, of course, to that internal chatter? Are they uplifting, positive, forward-thinking, joyous, encouraging thoughts? Or are they depressing, discouraging, ornery, angry, self-justifying thoughts?

And what about the feelings you feel? When a feeling you don’t enjoy appears and you wait at least 90 seconds to see if it will hang around or be gone like most feelings are, what do you do? Do you accept and acknowledge it as temporary? Try to pretend it isn’t there? Choose to change it? Ask for a counterbalance feeling to take its place?

In all of these cases, it helps to slow down, to pay attention to what’s going on both inside and outside you. In other words, be aware of what’s happening internally and externally. 

And yes, what helps is slowing down so that you have the time to notice, to become aware, to make a conscious choice about what will serve you best in the moment.

That awareness is the first step toward creating a life you love, the life that is waiting for you to step into it. Simply being aware of your own internal dialogue, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs is the first step to mastering fear, too.

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