10 Signs Fear Is Running Your Life (And How To Get Back On Track)

Most people in our culture are so riddled with fear that they don't even recognize when the emotion has overtaken their lives. Fear can be sneaky, and it shows up in all kinds of disguises. Here are 10 ways to recognize how fear is running your life and take back control:

When you're afraid (of criticism, failure, and rejection), you'll do anything to try to become "perfect." Of course, the mask of perfection also separates you from what you most want: real intimacy, love, and acceptance for your true self.

When you're afraid to take risks and go for what you really want, you convince yourself that your less-than-juicy life is as good as it gets. When fear runs the show, you forget how to dream. You compromise in the name of being "realistic." But settling isn't realism; it's a devastating symptom of fear.

When you're afraid to disappoint people or get rejected if you don't say yes, you'll fall into fear-based, people-pleasing, self-sacrificing behaviors that lead to resentment. But when fear is no longer running the show, you say no when it feels self-loving. As they say, "No" is a complete sentence. This doesn't mean you won't devote yourself to generosity and service. It means the service stems from a genuine love-based (rather than a fear-based) motivation.

When you're afraid, you're unlikely to take risks. You'll feel the yearning to start your own business, take that bucket list trip, have a baby, or take an art class—but you'll say no because you're afraid to fail, afraid to succeed, afraid to get rejected, afraid to stir things up, afraid to get out of your comfort zone.

Fear causes inner pain, which we desperately try to numb with substances and behaviors. But these only put a temporary Band-Aid on the pain and ultimately decrease our self-esteem in the long run. When you're not afraid to be quiet with yourself, face your inner demons, and heal from the core, you'll no longer need the distractions. You'll have the courage to do the transformative work that leads you to freedom on the other side of your journey.

When you're afraid of putting yourself in the arena because of fear of failure, success, uncertainty, judgment, criticism, or rejection, you'll tend to stand on the sidelines where you feel safer. When you face fear head-on, motivation replaces procrastination. You're not "going for it" based on a fear-based need to "make it happen." Instead, the natural inclination toward love and service generates inspired action.

When you're afraid, you avoid making the decisions your soul knows you must make. Your intuition tells you it's time to leave that toxic relationship. Or quit that soul-sucking job. Or set boundaries with your mother. But you're terrified of the uncertainty. What you'll discover on the other side of fear, though, is that uncertainty is the gateway to possibility. When you don't know what the future holds, anything could happen.

When we are afraid, we feel the need to micromanage everything. You'll mistakenly think you live in a hostile, random world that's out to get you unless you grab the wheel with both hands and steer your life toward what you want. When you make the journey from fear to faith, you'll trust that it's a friendly universe and you can surrender to the flow of life and accept what is.

When fear is running the show, you'll avoid speaking up for what you believe. You won't let your voice be heard when your integrity is being threatened. You won't tell people when they hurt your feelings. You'll be too afraid to ask for what you really want. When you let love lead, you start respecting and appreciating the divine voice that flows through you. As a result, you'll attract those who resonate with your truth and find your soul community.

Fear isn't just an uncomfortable emotion that holds you back from following your dreams. It can also trigger a stress response in the body that puts you at risk of disease and makes it hard for the body to heal itself.

When you develop the right relationship with fear and uncertainty, fear can be the finger pointing toward everything in need of healing in your life. Here are a few ways you can change your relationship with fear right now.

Close your eyes and think about a loved one, or remember a time when you felt wrapped in the arms of divine love. Let yourself experience that memory of love and connectedness. Watch fear dissolve in the moment.

Meditation is a well-studied and scientifically proven way to reduce fear, improve your health, ramp up your courage, and decrease your stress.

Every time you have a fearful thought, question it. What's true about that thought? What's not true about that thought? The minute you question your thoughts and beliefs, you start to create distance, allowing you space to take a witness position to your thoughts. This starts to loosen fear's hold on you right away.

Einstein said, "The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe." When you believe it's a hostile universe, life is scary. But when you trust that you are held, loved, safe, nurtured, and protected, you can relax. Whether you subscribe to any specific religion or just consider yourself "spiritual but not religious," anything that facilitates your trust in a friendly universe can help you move beyond fear.

It's really hard to make this kind of radical transformation alone! Find other spiritually inclined, courageous beings who are making brave choices to be their most authentic selves. And limit your exposure to people who let fear run their lives (without judging them).