All of us are creatures of habit, and we are often unaware that our habits may be creating anxious, negative, fearful thoughts. The next time you feel anxious, stop yourself and ask, What is my belief right now? Examine that belief. Is it distorted and negative? Is it even true? Or is it a false idea that has roots in old fears about not being nurtured and cared for by the universe and the people in your life?

The next time you receive support from someone in any form, instead of brushing aside its significance, make a point of noticing it. Let yourself feel the positive energy that’s arisen in you because of this assistance, no matter how small of an encouragement it may have been. Feel grateful, and express that gratitude. Then ask yourself, How could I make a habit of observing the loving support that’s provided to me? Think about how you’ve reacted to others’ help in the past and analyze the progress you’re making toward letting go of fear and feeling the power of wholeliness, our oneness of spirit. 

Every day, we hear about terrible losses that others experience. It can be overwhelming. It’s to the point that within minutes of turning on the television, we see news of someone’s tragedy. We don’t realize it, but the constant barrage of bad news affects us—it generates fear, worry, and anxiety that are like toxins. This is because when we hear of others’ suffering, we begin to assume that the same can or will happen to us, too.

To counteract feelings of hopelessness, despair, or pessimism, pray for those who are enduring hardships. Make a list of people you wish to pray for every day. If your neighbor lost his job, for instance, or there’s a student in your child’s school who is undergoing chemotherapy, make a point of praying for those individuals daily. Ask that love, light, healing, and hope be brought into their lives. Ask for relief of their pain, and that they feel the strength of the Divine supporting them. Pray for yourself as well. Request help in remaining hopeful and positive despite the losses or uncertainty in your life. Seek guidance and faith that everything will turn out in the end. Pray for reassurance, and you’ll receive it.

As you pray for others and yourself, you’ll begin to feel your sacred connections to all of humanity and the Divine. You’ll remember your sacred connection to all of life and your power to bring joy, love, and healing to others. This will give you comfort and strength, making it easier to acknowledge your fears and begin to conquer them. You will also feel as if you’ve done a good deed just by praying for someone else: instead of sending out negative emotions, which is both detrimental to you and the other person, you have instead wished for him or her nothing but beautiful, healing energy.

If you focus on your problems, you’ll start to feel scared and powerless. Yet if you take positive action, no matter how small, those feelings will begin to fade quickly, and you’ll start to feel optimistic. It’s like the story of the starfish dying on the beach: A man was walking along the shore, tossing the creatures back into the sea, one by one, when another person came along and asked, “What’s the point? There are thousands of starfish dying on the beach. What difference does it make to attempt to save them?” The man replied, “It makes a difference to the starfish.”

It also makes a difference to the person saving them! In other words, doing something, anything, to make a situation better shifts you out of fear and powerlessness and into a sense of hope. By doing for others, you’ll recognize that while you may be the only one on the beach, you’re actually not alone. As you begin the work, strangers who are passing by will stop and pitch in. One can turn into many very quickly, and the power of the whole will encourage you to keep going.

Find a way to help others that goes beyond spending a few seconds writing a check to a charity (although you should do that as well!). Identify something you worry about, a problem that causes you to feel fearful and pessimistic. What can you do today—before you go to bed tonight—to make a difference?

When you face your fears by tackling a problem in a small way, you’ll start to feel the exuberance that’s necessary to make a positive change. As you meet others who are already working on this problem, or ready to begin because they’ve been inspired by you, you’ll feel even more excited and enthusiastic. The Divine will bring people and resources your way. This is the power of wholeliness at work. Start today. Find one thing, just one, that you can do today to make a difference. Then stop thinking about it and do it!