There’s a story of the two wolves in Cherokee culture in which a grandfather teaches his grandson an important life lesson.
The grandfather tells his grandson that there is a battle going on inside all of us. It is a battle between two wolves that live inside us.
He says, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ that live inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thinks about it for a while and says, “Which wolf wins?”
The grandfather replies, “The one you feed”.
The story of the two wolves teaches us that our future, our destiny is in our control. It’s up to you to feed your courage, it is up to you to feed your mind everything it needs to achieve success and contentment in life.
The Fear Wolf
Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
We deal with the fear wolf every day. Fear tells us that we cannot get a better job, we don’t deserve a loving relationship or we cannot get a good physique. It is because of fear people never take a chance on their dreams. And it is because of fear most people never express their love fully.
But all fear tells us is lies. The problem occurs when most people give their power away when they hear the fearful voice inside their head. They succumb to the fear.
The Courage Wolf
Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right.
This wolf is courageous, loving, and generous. It wants to create great things in the world and sees the good in everything. It tells us that greatness exists inside each one of us and that we can become the person of our dreams. It fills us with positivity and empowers us with self-belief.
Think about the time when you achieved something significant. Remember the process, the emotions you felt, and the mindset you had. It was the courage wolf inside you doing its work. Your job is to feed the courage wolf every day.
In the story of the two wolves, the courage wolf and the evil wolf resides in every one of us. So don’t think that someone else is lucky because they have a good life
Heart Over Mind
Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.
The fear wolf resides in the mind, the courage wolf resides in the heart. When our mind creates limiting thoughts and doubt, it is the fear wolf at work. Courage wolf, on the other hand, fuels our mind with strength and power. When we say “it’s enough, I’m not gonna stop until I reach my goal”, it’s our heart, the courage wolf, at work.
How We Feed the Fear Wolf
Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out.
We feed the fear wolf when we talk negatively to ourselves, beat ourselves up for little setbacks, and don’t ever focus on our strengths, gifts, and all the good we have in life.
The worst thing you can do is to accept the messages of the fear wolf. Even if your mind is creating negative thoughts, they can have no effect on you if you discard them right away.
Since you now know the story of the two wolves, it’s your duty to feed the courage wolf every day. Here’s how it’s done.
Feed the Courage Wolf to Destroy All Obstacles
To disengage the fear wolf, we don’t need to hate it, because hate is itself an emotion of the fear wolf. We just need to breathe deeply and focus on feeding the courage wolf.
Here is how to feed the courage wolf:
*Show compassion for yourself and forgive yourself for personal shortcomings
*Talk positively to yourself, remember the time you shined bright, remember your strengths
*Help others around you
*Express gratitude: Write down the things you’re grateful for.
The story of the two wolves teaches us that we are the creators and we are all equals. If life gets hard, get in touch with your
heart, feed the courage wolf, and your life will change in the very moment.
