Terrified? Perfect. That Means You’re Exactly Where You Need to Be

Fear as Your Compass: How to Turn Anxiety into Spiritual Growth

Prone to anxiety? Been on a spiritual path for a while?

If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, you’ve probably discovered something important about growth: Fear isn’t just an obstacle. It’s a roadmap.

It sounds counterintuitive, right? Fear is uncomfortable, and we’ve been conditioned by culture to believe discomfort is bad, but obviously it’s not.¹

It turns out fear has a funny way of pointing directly to the places in life that hold the most potential for psychological and spiritual expansion. It’s like your inner guide saying, "Hey, here’s where you’re stuck. Let’s unstick it."

The Shortcut to Growth: Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

The terrifying shortcut to progress is simple: If you feel stagnant, look for the scariest thing in your life that’s within reason to do—then do it.

This isn’t about being reckless. I’m not saying you should dangle yourself in front of crocodiles at the zoo. But if there’s a conversation you’ve been avoiding, a change you’ve been dreading, or a personal phobia you’ve been tiptoeing around, fear is often the signpost saying, "Here lies growth."

Fear is a low-vibration emotion. In spiritual terms, it’s holding you back from experiencing the higher-frequency life you’re meant for, which means you need to root it out. This takes a kind of personalized exposure therapy—the most proven approach to helping people overcome fears by facing them directly.²

My Story: Bungee Jumping Through Fear

A few months ago, I got a “download”—you know, those moments of clarity that feel like they’re delivered straight from the cosmos? It came right after I'd staggered out of a messy relationship. I’d barely dragged myself to shore after the emotional shipwreck when my higher self dropped this gem:

"Nice work surviving that. Now, go bungee jumping."

My response? "Are you fucking kidding me?"

I’ve been terrified of the feeling of falling since I was a kid—a fear instilled by recurring nightmares of plunging off cliffs. Heights didn’t bother me, but falling? Absolutely not.

I understood the assignment though. The fear of falling was probably signaling my need to let go of control—something I’d clung to for years. So, I went to Thailand, where bungee jumping is mercifully cheap, and I leapt.

I’ll skip the part where I threw up afterward, but I’ll tell you this: I felt lighter and freer when it was over. My fear loosened its hold, and I knew straightaway that something inside me had shifted.

Why Fear Deserves a Closer Look

Fear doesn’t just tell you where you’re stuck; it invites you to confront life’s deeper challenges. In my experience, the fears worth facing usually fall into three categories.

1. Fear of Death

Confronting my fear of falling did more than help me let go of control; it chipped away at my deep-rooted fear of death. As I'd gotten deeper into meditation and spiritual practices, I'd become hyper-aware of every sensation in my body.

A little stomach cramp? Obviously fatal. A slight ache in my side? Clearly the end was near. A sort of hypochondria had taken hold, where I’d catch myself wondering if I’d confused a kidney stone for a chakra activation. “Is this the meditation that will finally kill me?” was a question I’d begun regularly asking.

It was apparently time to get up close and personal with that very real possibility.

Thankfully, after my jump, something shifted. The intensity of these thoughts quieted down. My meditations became clearer, and I started noticing the space between sensations instead of catastrophizing every twinge.

It was as if facing the fear head-on taught my body and mind to relax into the unknown rather than resist it. This was a pleasant surprise because I hadn’t connected the fear of falling with my generalized fear of death.

Somehow, confronting the narrower fear loosened the grip of the broader one, revealing how deeply intertwined our anxieties can be.

2. Fear of Discomfort

Humans are experts at avoiding pain, whether it’s physical discomfort or emotional turmoil. But here’s the catch: Avoiding it doesn’t make it disappear.

It just waits in the wings, growing louder the longer you ignore it.

After my breakup, I didn’t want to sit with the raw, messy grief of it all. I wanted to fast-track the healing process, jump into the next relationship, or distract myself with something shiny and new.

I slid into some DMs and got ignored, went on a date with a guy who looked like Count Orlock, and when none of that worked, I convinced myself an instant solution to my pain was just around the cosmic corner—because I can convince myself of anything when I’m desperate.

But life doesn’t let you off the hook that easily. The pain was still there, clawing at me until I finally stopped running and let myself feel it fully. It wasn’t pretty—think full-on ugly crying—but afterward, I could breathe deeper.

Facing discomfort head-on is the only way to move through it, whether it’s heartbreak, a tough decision, or even just sitting with a sucky emotion. The only way out is always through.

3. Fear of Authenticity

It’s a cliché, but I'll say it anyway: Being your authentic self can feel terrifying.

What if people don’t get you? What if they judge you or walk away?

For me, traveling has been a strange sort of training ground for authenticity. When you’re living out of a suitcase, surrounded by people you’ll probably never see again, the stakes feel lower.

Twice now, I’ve used travel as an opportunity to reset—to try out new versions of myself that align more closely with who I sense I’m becoming. Most recently, I leaned into a relaxed, spiritual persona, talking openly about astrology and energy without fear of judgment.

What I’ve learned is this: The more I close the gap between who I am inside and how I show up in the world, the freer and lighter I feel.

If you’re afraid of being your true self, start small. Test the waters in low-risk situations. Over time, those small acts of authenticity will ripple out and transform how you show up everywhere in your life.

For a comprehensive guide on how to do that, check out this post:

The Case for Facing Fear

Facing your fears isn’t just exposure therapy. It’s alchemy.

In spiritual terms: Overcoming fear raises your vibration, opening you up to states like love, joy, and authenticity. In psychological terms: Facing fear breaks the cycle of avoidance, helping you reach your true potential and engage more fully with life.

So, the next time fear shows up, don’t run. Get curious. Ask yourself: What is this fear pointing me toward? Then take the leap—even if it’s scary.

Especially if it’s scary.

By using fear as your compass, you’ll not only overcome what’s holding you back but also step into a fuller, more authentic version of yourself. By confronting what terrifies you, you'll transmute fear into freedom.

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I hope this post inspires you to face the fears standing in your way. If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to The Aussie Mystic for more reflections on spiritual growth, psychology, and the tools to help you lead a more fearless, fulfilling life.

1. Easter, M. (2021). The comfort crisis: Embrace discomfort to reclaim your wild, happy, healthy self. Rodale Books.

2. McLean, C. P., Asnaani, A., Litz, B. T., & Hofmann, S. G. (2011). Exposure therapy for PTSD: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(6), 1048-1067.