Fueled by Love or Fueled by Fear?

What if the why behind something transcends the what...

Envision yourself as a hybrid vehicle—drawing power from two distinct fuel sources: love and fear. Both fuels serve necessary functions; both exist within our capacity. Childhood-learned patterns often dictate which fuel propels our habitual actions. For most of us, life mastery involves releasing fear and learning to power our existence predominantly from the energy of love.

When speaking of fear and love, I am referring to blocked versus unblocked energy. Energy science reveals how limiting patterns and emotions emerge when energy flow faces restriction. Fear-based emotions include shame, anxiety, unworthiness, blame, rage, depression, and apathy. Conversely, freely flowing energy allows us to discover positive meaning in everyday occurrences—enhancing beliefs of unconditional love, peace, joy, acceptance, and safety.

David R. Hawkins maps the fear-love continuum in his consciousness framework, quantifying how "survival paradigm" emotions impact our bodies. Predominantly fear-based emotions lower our "energetic log"—blocking and depleting healing energy needed for wellbeing. States of serenity or bliss, however, enable us to receive exponentially greater healing potential—creating resilience and fulfillment.

Most of us experience many of these states daily—from lower to higher energy flow - and this represents normal, healthy functioning. Problems develop when we become trapped in lower energetic patterns, and forget how to escape.

Fear gets us to pay attention, which serves survival. That can be important! In today's world, however, institutions, media, and even some family and friends can continuously trigger our fear/survival response. This fear-based information field easily entangles us. Simple neuroscience-based consciousness practices coupled with surrounding ourselves with sources of good information can train us to naturally switch back to love's sweet fuel when we get caught by fear.

This brings us to the "why" of an action being more important than the "what". From an energy science perspective, one's motivation, or the fuel source compelling one's actions, serves as key information.

Consider this practical example: When I clean the bathroom from a hidden belief that I would not be a good mother/wife if I didn't, it suggests my action comes from a state of unworthiness (e.g. a belief in conditional worth or a fear of inadequacy). Noticing this pattern enables me to switch fuels. I can remember that I can also clean bathrooms because I love my family and enjoy cleanliness. Now I'm cleaning the bathroom out of love, not fear. This simple "why" shift makes all the difference when I leave the bathroom. Where the inadequacy "why" might leave me feeling resentful (notice Hawkins' guilt-to-blame progression), the love "why" allows me to leave feeling family connection and personal satisfaction. This type of regular mindfulness practice has transformed my base state out of fear and into love.

The fear-based idea that we have to demonstrate our value by material means or face exile is an old myth that can be fed to the fire. We all belong; we all merit infinite love through our existence alone. There is never a need for anyone to "earn" their living or their right to live. When we are free to serve through love, everything is taken care of naturally and effortlessly.

I wish someone had helped me understand this when I was younger but it's OK, better late than never! My old life was heavily fueled by a need to prove that I was worthy and good enough. When I wasn't feeling the fulfillment that I desired, I focused on changing my actions to amass more accomplishments. This only lead to burnout. Now I realize that my actions never were the heart of the matter, it was the story I told myself about why I was doing something that was the key. It is important to see what drives our actions in each moment because the "why" of an accomplishment may be a key to whether it brings us closer or further away from our true purpose and fulfillment.

Of course, being aware of the fuel that my actions came from did result in a change of my work and daily habits, but that was a natural and organic process that was again, fueled by love and not running away from fear.

It can be a process to re-program our actions to the love fuel but it's a worthwhile endeavor. It's necessary to bring infinite gentleness, self-love, and humor into the discovery process. You can start the exploration by asking yourself before any activity..."why?" When you respond, ask yourself "why?" again. I often recommend asking "why" 7 times to really get to the bottom of a hidden motive. When you get to your most basic answer, compare it with Hawkins' chart. Remember that it is always entirely within your own power to change the "why" story around anything that you do.

From a broader perspective, it's ultimately your power and responsibility to shape your own reality through the meanings you assign to everyday life.

In this way, you can begin to see and track your fuel sources. In most instances, just making your hidden intentions conscious is all that's needed to train a new more positive habit. The fascinating things is...your actions need not change! There's no need to leave your job or stop cleaning the bathroom to find what you seek; not hollow accomplishments but true fulfillment.