When Fear Knocks: What the Unknown is Really Trying to Tell You

By Leila Briggs

Fear of the unknown can feel like a full-body experience - a tightening in the chest, a flutter in the gut, and that sudden “oh no, I’ve lost all spiritual and physical connection” moment. It’s often labeled a lower emotion, something to rise above, clear out, or banish with sage. But what if fear, like anger, isn’t the villain - it’s just the alarm clock that won’t stop ringing until you listen?

When felt and processed in a healthy way, fear can actually build stability. It solidifies pathways, helping you make choices and move forward - even if you later decide to make a U-turn. The coping energy of fear wants movement. It wants you to do something - not to panic-scroll your way into oblivion, but to take a breath and make a decision.

The trouble is, we often get lost in the drama of it. The racing thoughts, the endless “what if” loop, the internal monologue that could win an Oscar for Best Catastrophic Imagination. Fear can pull us so far into survival mode that we lose our heart, our humor, and our connection to the Divine. But underneath all that noise, fear is really saying: Hey, something’s shifting - are you paying attention?

Now, not all fear is meant to be processed in the moment. Acute fear - the “run, now” kind - calls for muscle and training to process, both physical and spiritual. But the slow-growing kind, the fears of self, the ones that whisper instead of roar? Those are your teachers. You don’t have to react to them. You can breathe with them, process them, and use them as tools for change.

Because fear, at its core, isn’t the enemy. It’s the slightly overdramatic friend who means well - the one waving red flags so you don’t walk straight into chaos. Fear says something ahead is unknown. It might even say it loudly. But that’s okay.

The unknown is where the magic starts anyway!