The Bible has the phrase “Do not fear” a total of 365 times in it. I see that as a message to be aware of every day of the year.

Worry is a negative projection of unreal future fears into the movie of our present day lives. It is a projection of things we fear and I don’t want to live the movie of my negative projections anymore. I am writing a new script. A story based on love hope & redemption where I am my own hero.

Everyone of us creates our own stories. We are the screenplay writer, the editor, the cinematographer, the casting director and the star of our own hi-def movie. Most of us just don’t understand or realize this yet.  But whatever we are the one’s who choose what we focus on in life. In doing so we are essentially the cinematographer and the editor deciding where to look and for how long. Nobody forces us to focus on one relationship, one fear, or one set of social media hashtags and posts. We look at our lives with a long shot panoramic view that sets a peaceful serene mood or a closeup of some intense emotion filled interpersonal relationship.  That’s our choice. If we realize that we are the one behind the camera. We are the director of the movie of our lives!

But we are all actors writers and directors. We play out the scripts we’ve written over decades through our subconscious mind’s interpretation of our life’s meaning and our deeply held values. Is our life a love story filled with broken hearts, betrayal and red hot romance? Or one of a reluctant hero dragged into the drama of saving the world while fighting our own fears and chaotic challenges to survive? Is the world out to get us and just unfair or does it conspire through synchronicity and serendipity to produce a series of happy endings with amazing supporting cast members?

We essentially are the one’s who can decide the answer. We can choose how our own story plays out on the big Mega IMAX screen of our actual lives. We can do that be realizing it’s our choice to decide where to focus our thoughts, emotions and actions next. What will our characters story arch be? Who will be our supporting actors and actresses? What is the theme of our story? Is it a love story, an adventure, or a romantic comedy?

Like every great actor we have to bring our true nature to the role we inhabit to bring out the authentic emotions that convey to others that we are fully alive and involved in our own story.  We can ask ourselves what our motivation is in this role of our life. What is meaningful to us? Why do we do what we do each day? Who are we fighting for in our life? Is it ourselves, or our spouse or children? Are we fighting for a better more just world to leave the future?  Or are we fighting to get beyond our own past and just be healthy and fully alive, living a safe and good life each day?

I’ve always found this metaphor to be helpful and empowering. I hope you will too.