Letting Go of Fear

Fear is at the core of codependency. It can motivate us to control situations or neglect ourselves.
Many of us have been afraid for so long that we don't label our feelings fear. We're used to feeling upset and anxious.
It feels normal.
Peace and serenity may be uncomfortable.
At one time, fear may have been appropriate and useful. We may have relied on fear to protect ourselves, much the way soldiers in war relay on fear to help them survive. but now, in recovery, we're living life differently.
It's time to thank our old fears for helping us survive, then wave good-bye to them. Welcome peace, trust, acceptance, and safety. We don't need that much fear anymore. We can listen to our healthy fears, and let go of the rest.
We can creat a feeling of safety for ourselves, now. We are safe, now. We've made a commitment to take care of ourselves. We can trust and love ourselves.

God, help me let go of my need to be afraid. Replace it with a need to be at peace. Help me listen to my healthy fears and relinquish the rest.


As my close family is aware, I have dealt with anxiety and anger for a long time now.I have recently started doing anger management, and there I have learned that my anxiety drives my anger. Because I can't fight the anxiety the easy way out is to get angry, because it makes me feel powerful. I believe my anxiety stems from alot of fear I have in everyday life. Things that I shouldn't be afraid of. Things like fear of losing my job, being late, not being able to reach out and help someone else. I have fear that I will be alone, and fear that no one will love me.
These are tough things for me to deal with, and instead of dealing with them in a healthy way, I push them away which plants the seed for anger. It is true in my own life that peace and serenity is uncomfortable. I don't know if I have ever felt at peace or serene. Even the thought of it makes me a little uncomfortable, based on the fact that I've been living with fear, anxiety, and anger for the last couple years of my life. Just because I got clean doesn't mean that I will have peace and serenity. Which is definitely what I thought when I first started going to NA. I thought that just by being there, in the room, with other addicts that understand me and my addiction, would bring me peace and serenity. Now that's not to say that I don't feel peace and serenity during an actual NA meeting, because I do get to feel that for an hour. but it's about carrying that with me, to the outside world, and understanding what it means to be serene and live in peace.
It's a tough journey, but one day I will know what it's like to feel serene and have peace in my life. There will be a day when I no longer feel anxious, and overwhelmed by anger.