" The only way to tame your fears is to feel the rocky motion." Vonda Shepherd, 100 Tears Away

Fear is the master of deception. It has countless disguises that make it difficult to recognize its presence in our decision making. But the one it is best at using is the ability to make us believe it is a force greater than ourselves and beyond our control. We humans have a tendency to be far more willing to notice when that happens in everybody else before we take a look at ourselves. The courageous part is to look inward with tenderness and compassion at our own lives to see where we have done the same. The more curious and interested we are in why we fear the more we loosen its grip on us. And close on the heels of 'why' is 'what if'. As soon as we allow ourselves to imagine surviving what we fear the balance of power shifts back to us, we gain strength and courage—not from any force of will but through the power of love. A new year is always full of the unknown. It is easy to feel frightened and anxious about what may come to us. Perhaps that is the time it is most important to remember the power of a loving gaze.