Rethinking Fear

Fear is something we all experience. It can appear as a quiet unease or grow so strong that it holds us back from feeling at peace in our own skin. For women struggling with body dysmorphia, fear often shows up as anxiety about being judged, dread at seeing our reflection, or a persistent belief that we are not enough. But what if fear isn’t something we need to battle or escape?

What if fear, like any other feeling, is simply created through thought—temporary, fleeting, and constantly changing?

The Nature of Fear

At its core, fear is a thought-generated experience. It’s easy to believe that fear comes from the mirror, social expectations, or the opinions of others. Yet fear itself isn’t external—it’s created from within, moment by moment, through the thoughts passing through our mind.

That’s why the same reflection can feel unbearable one day and far less overwhelming the next. Nothing outside of us has changed—only our thinking in that moment.

When we begin to see fear as a passing experience rather than an absolute truth, it naturally starts to loosen its grip.

Thought: Where Fear Begins

Our thoughts shape how we feel, yet we often relate to them as facts. When self-critical thoughts arise, they can feel so convincing that they seem to define who we are.

But fearful thoughts are not permanent. They come and go, just like clouds moving across the sky. And just as the sky itself remains untouched by the clouds, our deeper sense of self—our worth, wholeness, and humanity—remains unchanged, regardless of the thoughts we experience.

When this becomes clearer, there’s no longer a need to wrestle with fear or try to push it away. We can allow it to pass, trusting that clarity and calm are never far beneath the surface.

Fear and the Present Moment

Fear often grows when our attention drifts away from the present moment. It pulls us into memories of past judgments or imagined futures where we believe we won’t be accepted. The more we engage with these thought-created scenarios, the stronger fear can feel.

Yet in the present moment—the only place where life is actually happening—fear loses much of its power. Right here, without layers of self-doubt or worry, there is often a quiet sense of ease already available.

As we gently return to the present, we begin to see that fear is not permanent. It is simply another experience that will pass, just like every thought before it.

Trusting What Lies Beneath Fear

Beneath the noise of fearful thinking, there is something deeper within us—a natural resilience, a quiet wisdom, a steadiness that isn’t touched by insecurity. This inner stability is always present, even when we don’t feel connected to it.

When we begin to trust this, fear no longer needs to be avoided or controlled. We can experience it without believing it defines us, knowing it will move through in its own time.

What Happens When We Stop Fighting Fear?

Many of us spend years trying to silence self-doubt, fix our thinking, or force ourselves to feel better. But what if we didn’t have to work so hard?

When fear is no longer seen as something to conquer, space naturally opens for it to come and go. Fear isn’t a reflection of who we are—it’s simply a temporary visitor. And like all thoughts and feelings, it will pass.

As our relationship with fear softens, we often find ourselves returning, again and again, to a quieter state of mind where we feel more grounded and at ease.

A New Way Forward

Fear may still arise at times, but our relationship with it can change. When we see fear as the result of passing thought, it no longer has to control our choices or define our lives.

You are not your fearful thoughts. You are not your insecurities. Beneath all of it, you are already enough.

The freedom you’re looking for doesn’t come from fixing yourself or eliminating fear. It comes from recognising what fear truly is—and reconnecting with the calm, steady sense of self that has always been there.