Written by Jayne Robinson, Spiritual Coach & Advisor
Jayne Robinson is a skilled, intuitive spiritual advisor and coach. Director of JR Coaching, Founder of the Good Initiative, and soon-to-be-published author (2025, NYC Times Square)
Life has a way of catching you off guard. It presents moments that shake you to your core and force you to confront not just fear but the stories and patterns that keep you stuck. My journey this year has been one of meeting fear head-on in ways that were messy, unexpected, and transformational.
From witnessing a man’s life taken in a split second to an unexpected snake encounter to being literally bitten by fear, each moment has taught me that fear is not the enemy, it’s the key to freedom.
Here’s my story of how fear showed up in my life and the steps I took to release its grip.
Chapter 1: When life and death collide
It started on what should have been an ordinary day. I had just gotten my first tattoo—cor angeli spiritus bellatoris, the heart of an angel, the spirit of a warrior. The ink was still fresh, a physical representation of my personal evolution and a commitment to face challenges head-on with an open pure heart.
An hour later, I was riding my quad bike through a quiet Costa Rican Street, where up ahead, I saw a motorcyclist pull up, jump off the bike, whip out his gun, pointing it at two bystanders. The sharp crack of gunfire shattered the stillness.
Twenty meters away, a man fell, lifeless.
I froze, watching in disbelief as the reality of the situation sank in. A turf war, I would later learn, had claimed his life in broad daylight. There was no warning, no time to react. Just a devastating reminder that life can change in an instant.
For days after, I wrestled with the fragility of life. The experience left me raw, questioning what truly mattered. It was as if the version of me that existed before that moment had dissolved, leaving behind a deeper awareness of life’s impermanence.
Chapter 2: The dog that derailed my bliss
Fast forward two months. I had just returned from a holistic business retreat, where I’d also experienced an ayahuasca journey that left me feeling deeply aligned, peaceful, and blissed out.
That bliss was short-lived.
Walking along the beach one afternoon, I was jolted back to reality when, out of nowhere, a dog surged at me. Its teeth sank into the back of my leg, tearing through my skin as blood dripped down my leg.
The dog’s owner? She did nothing. Just watched as I stood there, stunned and in pain.
Hobbling home with my metaphorical tail between my legs, I felt the all-too-familiar victim mentality creep in. Why me? What did I do to deserve this?
But this time, I didn’t let the story take hold. Instead, I used the moment as an opportunity to feel the emotions of anger, fear, and frustration and let the narrative go.
Fear often shows up in unexpected ways, doesn’t it? Sometimes, it’s a loud, earth-shaking event like a shooting. Other times, it’s quieter but just as jarring, like a moment of humiliation.
Chapter 3: The snake and the shirtless neighbour
And then there was the snake.
On the first night in my new jungle home, I was woken at 1:12 AM from one of my vivid dreams. Settling back into bed, I heard it:
Hisshhhhhhh.
Fumbling for my phone’s torch, I shone it toward the sound. There, curled in a tight coil just 70 centimeters from my bed, was an angry snake. Its eyes gleamed in the light, its hiss a clear warning.
I froze, paralyzed by sheer terror. Then instinct kicked in, and I lurched toward the door, heart pounding as I debated whether sleeping outside on a deck chair was better than sharing a room with my uninvited guest.
That’s when my yet-to-be-met neighbor a shirtless, handsome hero answered my plea for help. Barefoot and armed with a pool net, he calmly wrangled the snake and flung it over the balcony as I whimpered from a safe distance.
While the snake was gone, the fear lingered. I slept with the light on that night, and the next day, I couldn’t sit on the couch near where it had been. But avoiding the fear only made it grow. I knew I had to confront it, so I sat where the snake had been, visualized its presence, and used somatic practices to process the terror in my body.
How to release fear in 3 steps
Fear is a constant companion for many entrepreneurs, especially when standing at the edge of transformation, whether it’s leaving behind a career that no longer fits, starting a new chapter in alignment with your values, or facing the uncertainties of a major pivot. These moments often feel like staring into the void, a “dark night of the soul” that calls for deep courage. Below, I’ll break down three steps to help you release fear, with relatable examples and actionable insights.
1. Acknowledge and feel it
Fear thrives in the shadows, gaining power when ignored or avoided. The first step in releasing fear is to face it head-on.
How to do it:
Name your fear. Ask yourself: What am I afraid of? For example, are you afraid of financial failure, judgment, rejection, the loss of a familiar identity, or leaving the security of a stable path?
Notice where the fear shows up in your body; tune into it. Fear is not just an emotion; it’s a physical experience. Does it manifest as tightness in your chest, a racing heartbeat, a lump in your throat, or a knot in your stomach?
Entrepreneur’s Story: Emma, a successful executive coach, felt paralyzed when contemplating leaving her six-figure + business to start a more personally aligned coaching practice. Her fear was rooted in losing her identity and financial security with her identity tied to the work, especially following a heartbreak that left her questioning her purpose. Despite the stability, she couldn’t continue. Burned out, numb, and battling severe health issues, she knew she had to make a change. Naming her fears: What if I fail? What if I never feel excited by my work again? Allowed her to confront them.
One day, during a quiet moment, she allowed herself to sit with the anxiety she’d been avoiding. She noticed a knot in her stomach and a lump in her throat. Naming her fears, I’m scared I won’t be enough without my title was the first step to releasing them.
Action tip: Dedicate five minutes daily to sit with your fear. Journal what comes up, focusing on naming your specific fears and noting their physical sensations.
2. Engage in somatic work
Fear isn’t just in your mind; it’s stored in your body. Releasing it requires more than logical reasoning; it involves addressing its somatic roots.
How to do it:
Locate the sensation in your body (e.g., tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, tension in your shoulders).
Use slow, intentional breathing to send signals of safety to your nervous system, and breathe into the sensation with slow, deep breaths to reassure your nervous system.
Ask the sensation compassionate questions like:
What are you protecting me from?
What do you need to feel safe?
Entrepreneur’s story: Raj, a tech entrepreneur, felt a tightening in his chest every time he considered pitching his new spiritual wellness app to investors. Through somatic work, he realized this fear was protecting him from rejection and embarrassment, emotions he hadn’t addressed since a failed venture years ago. By breathing deeply and acknowledging his body’s message, Raj created space for reassurance: I am safe to try again.
3 action tips
Practice “box breathing” when fear strikes: Inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts, and hold for four counts. Repeat this cycle until your body begins to relax.
Practicing “grounding” exercises involves pressing your feet into the floor, breathing deeply, and repeating: I am safe right now. It can also offer instant relief as an EFT (emotional freedom technique).
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), commonly known as tapping, is a therapeutic method combining elements of psychology and acupressure; it involves tapping on specific meridian points on the body (primarily on the face and upper body) while focusing on a specific issue or feeling, such as fear, anxiety, or stress.
EFT works by balancing the body's energy system and reducing emotional distress. Here’s a helpful EFT tapping video focusing on overcoming fear:
3. Rewrite the narrative
Fear often whispers a disempowering story: I’ll fail. I’m not capable. It’s too late for me. These narratives, while convincing, are not the truth. They’re reflections of unprocessed fear.
How to do it:
Identify the fear-based story you’re telling yourself. Write it down as it appears in your thoughts.
Challenge this narrative by asking: Is this absolutely true? What’s a more empowering perspective? What evidence do I have to suggest this will be true this time?
Replace the story with an affirming truth, such as I am learning, and growth takes courage. This is just the first step, not the whole story.
Entrepreneur’s story: Maya, the CEO of a multi-million-dollar cleaning company, had always dreamed of transitioning into high-level consulting for government and state bodies. However, a nagging voice kept holding her back, asking, what about all of my staff and the people who depend on me? She realized that this belief, while rooted in her sense of responsibility, was also keeping her stuck. Once she acknowledged the fear and recognized it as a limiting story, Maya rewrote it: Every experience I’ve had has prepared me for this moment, and I get to choose how I live my life even if others depend on me. This new perspective not only helped her see her transition as a natural progression but also allowed her to step confidently into this new chapter of her career.
Action tip: When fear arises, create a “truth card.” Write the fear story on one side and the empowering truth on the other. Keep it nearby to read aloud when needed as a reminder when fear strikes.
Bringing it all together
Fear isn’t something to banish; it’s something to embrace and understand. By acknowledging and feeling your fear, engaging in somatic work, and rewriting the narratives it creates, you can transform fear into a guide rather than a jailor.
Why facing fear matters
The shooting, the dog, the snake they could have left me paralyzed, trapped in a constant state of anxiety. But fear doesn’t change the outcome. It only makes you smaller, jumpier, and stuck in the “what-ifs.”
Facing fear, on the other hand, builds resilience; it’s a sign that you’re stepping into the unknown, which is a hallmark of growth. It reminds you that you are capable of handling life’s challenges, not by avoiding them but by stepping into them with courage. Trust that your courage will grow each time you meet fear with compassion and curiosity.
My tattoo heart of an angel, the spirit of a warrior, isn’t just ink on my skin. It’s a reminder that fear is not a sign of weakness. It’s an invitation to grow, to lean into the discomfort, and to emerge stronger, braver, and more aligned. This is, after all, what the human experience is all about.
Your turn
What fears are holding you back? Whether it’s a snake under your bed, a difficult conversation, being at a crossroads for your next chapter in life, or the lingering weight of past trauma, the only way out is through.
Take a breath. Feel it. And step forward, one courageous moment at a time. Because you, too, have the heart of an angel and the spirit of a warrior.
If you feel called to learn my top facing fear practices besides somatic work, send me an email here with “facing fear,” and I’ll send it straight to your inbox
Read more from Jayne Robinson
Jayne Robinson, Spiritual Coach & Advisor
Jayne Robinson is an intuitive spiritual advisor and coach. As the Director of JR Coaching and an avid student of life, Jayne is much like the phoenix rising, leaning into her edge of personal development, emerging from her own transformations and spiritual quests time and time again. As such she is dedicated to helping clients do the same, to create a vibrant new chapter in their lives. Supporting successful entrepreneurs and individuals searching for more to move beyond boredom and burnout, guiding them through a spiritual voyage of uncertainty and fear to a transformative metaphorical death to rebirth. Her mission: embrace discomfort, uncover hidden possibilities, and transform your life.
