Imagined fears ruin my day; the dreads of my imagination are always worse than reality.

Few things that consume us with fear, anxiety or worry ever happen the way we imagine. A single thought of what might happen enters our consciousness; our mind grasps that thought and nurtures it, spawning a family of fear-driven offspring. Morbid, fearful feelings follow the thought and start the downward spiral. It makes little difference whether the concern is real or imagined because everything appears real to a fear-driven mind.

We have a choice whether to continue to participate in the misery or simply release the thought; we can live in the moment or we can allow our mind to time-travel and return with fear; we can seek inner peace or we can become mired in some imagined fantasy. We pause, pray, and take action; we call a friend, read a book, listen to something uplifting and positive; we take a walk, or volunteer in a soup kitchen. The decision-action sequence offers the opportunity for our inner spiritual power to perform its function—expulsing the fear and replacing it with divine traits of love, hope, compassion, forgiveness, and peace.

Prayer: Dear God, please remove this fearful thought; grant me peace; and illuminate my mind and heart to see the truth about my challenge. If this is an imagined dread, erase it from my mind and give me the strength not to allow it to re-enter and dominate my thoughts. If this problem is an immediate threat to my physical, mental, or spiritual well-being, reveal the solution that leads me to be the child you want me to be.

Take three relaxing breaths; ask your inner spirit to guide your meditation; reflect on the content, pausing for a few minutes in silence.