By Nina Amir

6.3 million American adults aged 18-54 have some specific fear.
The most common fears in order of most common occurrence are:

1.      public speaking 

2.      death 

3.      spiders 

4.      darkness 

5.      heights 

6.      social situations 

7.      flying 

8.      open spaces 

9.      thunder and lightening 

10.  confined spaces 

With the current state of the economy, more people today fear losing a job or losing a home. So the above statistic must have increased tremendously during 2008-2009. 

No matter how much or how little fear you feel – or for what reason, that fear stops you from living your life fully and creating the life you desire. Fear prevents you from achieving your highest potential and immobilizes you on the path to your dreams. 

Do you want to learn to move through your fear so you can achieve your highest potential and achieve your dreams? 

For most of us, fear serves as a familiar, if not constant, companion, arriving at our side uninvited for a variety of reasons, some predictable, some not.  For some of us, fear exists like a radio playing constantly in the background of our lives, rarely noticed but always sending a signal.  For others, fear arrives suddenly and surprisingly, visiting for a few moments, a few hours, a few days, maybe even a few weeks, then leaving with a promise to return again with no notice or invitation.  And for still others, fear lives with them like a long-term tenant often making its presence known as sheer terror, overwhelming anxiety or uncertainty that leaves the landlord immobilized.   

For the terror stricken, life is reduced to daily survival.  For those who feel milder fear or anxiety, life becomes less than it could be.  To whatever degree we feel this emotion, we become imprisoned by our instinctual, automatic response.  We withdraw to a place that feels safe, but in hiding we actually lock ourselves away from our goals and desires.  Fear, our jailer, prevents us from living our lives to the fullest extent possible. 

According to Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who lived from 1772-1840, we need to know one thing: “A person walks in life on a narrow bridge.The most important thing is not to be afraid.” Although this serves as the most common translation of his words, in fact, a more accurate translation would be that we should not “make ourselves afraid” – a very different lesson. 

We all walk on a narrow bridge called life every day, never knowing if the slats will drop out from beneath our feet when we take the next step. Yet, most people aren’t afraid of life itself but of many aspects of life. The goal of this booklet, Navigating the Narrow Bridge, is to help readers break out of their fear-built jail and move freely, confidently and joyously through life and towards their fullest potential.  

To accomplish this, the booklet discusses how to:   

• live in the moment
• turn fear of death into awe for life
• find and communicate with God
• use thoughts creatively
• cultivate an attitude of gratitude
• use meditation and visualization to feel safe
• and make affirmations of action

Navigating the Narrow Bridge will offer information on:

• Life in a Fear-Built Jail
• Life on the Narrow Bridge
• Learning to Live Freely and Fully

This booklet provides readers with 7 steps to a fear-free life:

Step #1: Traversing the Spectrum of Emotion
Step #2: Utilizing the Power of Thought
Step #3: Reaching Out for God’s Hand
Step #4: Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude
Step #5: Using Meditation as a Link to Life
Step #6: Connecting with Commandments
Step #7: Making Affirmations of Action