A Year of Sundays: The 28th Sunday (7/13/25) – The Week of Fear and Fortitude

This week seemed to exude fear from every corner—news headlines, public discourse, and even private conversations. It was not just the usual background noise; it felt coordinated, visceral, and almost suffocating. I found myself practicing deep breathing several times a day, sometimes just to anchor myself in the moment.

Fear is a powerful emotion. It can alert us to danger, yes, but unchecked, it can paralyze and distort. I want to speak to anyone who may be feeling emotionally winded this week: you are not alone.

As Susan Jeffers so powerfully writes in her seminal work:

“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” (Jeffers, 1987, p. 3)

This simple sentence carried me. I let myself feel the weight of uncertainty. I honored my anxiety. But I also pushed forward, even if it was with shaky hands.

Fear is not our enemy—it is a messenger. It is a signal to pay attention. And as Maxwell Maltz reminds us in Psycho-Cybernetics,

“Your nervous system cannot tell the difference between an imagined experience and a 'real' experience. It reacts automatically to information which you give it from your forebrain.” (Maltz, 1960, p. 44)

This insight shifted my response. I began to question my emotional reactions. Was I reacting to facts—or to the mental stories looping in my mind? Once I separated the two, I found clarity and reclaimed control.

So this week, my mantra became: Breathe, feel, discern. Let the feelings in, then ask yourself—what is truly happening here? Do not surrender your peace to panic.

Affirmation for the Week "I honor my fear, but I choose to move with purpose and clarity. I am grounded in truth, not terror."

Here is a brief guided meditation to pair with Week 28: The Week of Fear and Fortitude – designed to restore calm, separate emotion from fact, and reconnect you to your inner anchor:

Meditation: Breathe Through the Fear (5 minutes)

Settle in: Find a quiet space. Sit comfortably with your back straight, feet grounded. Rest your hands in your lap or on your knees.

1. Grounding the Body (1 minute) Close your eyes gently. Take a deep breath in through your nose… Hold it for 4 counts… Exhale slowly through your mouth. Let your shoulders drop. Feel your feet against the floor. Say silently: “I am here.”

2. Releasing the Mind (2 minutes) Begin to notice your thoughts without judgment. Imagine each worry or fear as a cloud passing through the sky of your mind. Do not chase them, just watch them float. Say silently: “Not every thought is truth. I return to calm.” With each inhale, breathe in clarity. With each exhale, release tension.

3. Anchoring in Truth (2 minutes) Place your hand over your heart. Repeat these words slowly and internally: “I am safe in this moment. I choose peace over panic. I trust myself to respond with wisdom.” Feel the warmth beneath your palm. Let that warmth spread—shoulders, chest, breath, mind.

4. Closing Take one more full breath. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Open your eyes slowly. Say to yourself: “I carry calm with me.”

(let me know if you would like a recording of this meditation)

References 

Jeffers, S. (1987). Feel the fear and do it anyway. Ballantine Books. 

Maltz, M. (1960). Psycho-Cybernetics: A new way to get more living out of life. Prentice-Hall.