Courage: Overcoming Fear and Igniting Self-Confidence by Debbie Ford

is what keeps us stuck in the negativity and limitations of our human existence. If we are to rewire our thinking, we must start from the beginning. We must find the divinity in every situation, circumstance, and experience. When we look through divine eyes, there is no judgment, no need to be righteous or to make ourselves wrong. We must be reborn right in front of our own eyes. To believe it is to see it, and when we awaken to our true essence, we suddenly have access to a divine self that is infused with power, strength, and courage.
    No longer do we have to work so hard or try to be someone we are not, because we find that we are something beyond our imagination. When we are aware of the miracle that we are, we take pleasure in our exhales, trust in the miraculous nature of our bodies, and know that there is something greater than ourselves keeping us alive each day. But as soon as we go to sleep to the miracle that is life, we go to sleep to the miracle of our true divine essence. As soon as we turn our head from the truth of our perfection, we throw ourselves into a cesspool of negative thoughts of individualism.
    We’ve all had at least a fleeting experience of a deep connection with the Divine in a meditation, in a moment of realization, or at a time when we felt blessed by the universe because everything was going our way. We were able to see the beauty and perfection in everything and everybody, and all the little things washed away and failed to bother us. But as quickly as that moment came, it probably left just as fast, and we were pulled back into the battle between our head (our ego) and our heart, living inside the old paradigm that there are good people and there are bad people. And from this limited perspective, we fall back into the ego’s fear, which pushes us right back into our minds and separates us from the only thing that can fully give us back all of our power, all of our courage, and all of our confidence.
    The Divine is always speaking to us, guiding us. We are the ones who choose whether or not to listen. We may choose not to listen because of our fear, our addictions, our cravings, or old habits that have taken over and wiped out the beautiful voice of the Divine within. But if we listen closely, we will be able to hear the messages we’re receiving. We will know when we have the impulse to take a risk and when we feel we should sit still and wait. Our divine intuition can guide us toward what to eat to be healthier or when to leave a relationship that isn’t working. No matter how big or small the issue, the Divine can be our guide, and its guidance can come in many forms. It may come as a subtle intuitive knowing or an overt wake-up call, like a fall in the parking lot that warns us to slow down and not rush. It could be an uncomfortable knot in our belly, or a message from a friend. Whatever its form, this divine impulse is with us all the time, trying to get our attention, wanting us to make our choices from the highest place. Either we can hear it or we can resist it. We can trust it or we can ignore it. It is ultimately our choice.
    Looking back, I can see so clearly what was keeping me from following my divine guidance. And now I ask you, What is keeping you from following yours? Perhaps you have an agenda, some other plan you’re attached to, or an outcome you are committed to achieving, and so you are unwilling to see that your plan might not be right for you. This would make you not want to trust any divine message trying to come to you. Maybe you harbor resentment or anger toward the Divine for the very situations and circumstances in your life where you’ve been betrayed, hurt, or disappointed. Or you may believe that if there really were this all-powerful force, everything would be perfect in your life and nothing bad would ever happen to you. The bottom line is that you may not trust or believe in the Divine. You may not trust that there’s a bigger plan because if you do