Fear contracts our awareness around imagined loss. In this episode, Jake explores how financial uncertainty, self-doubt, and the pressure to perform are showing up in his life right now—and more importantly, how turning toward these inner demons, rather than running from them, is what actually wakes us up.

Drawing on Buddhist, Christian, and Taoist wisdom, he discusses the practice of grounding in the present moment, the power of gratitude even in difficulty, and what it means to show up faithfully without clinging to outcomes. You'll hear about facing demons in dreams, the C.S. Lewis insight on anxiety, and why the Buddha needed Mara.

Whether you're wrestling with financial fear, self-doubt, or uncertainty about the future, this episode invites you to pause, let your fear breathe, and discover what happens when you turn toward it instead.

Topics covered:

• Fear as contraction; self-doubt as fear with a voice
• Grounding in the present moment as a practice
• Gratitude in difficulty (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
• Facing demons vs. running from them
• The Bhagavad Gita on right action without attachment to results
• Thich Nhat Hanh on Mara as companion and guide
• Dream work and what our demons reveal
• The faithful swing: showing up without controlling outcomes

A vulnerable, practical exploration of how spiritual practice meets real life.

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