One of the main characteristics of well-practiced dream lucidity is utmost fearlessness. So living life in a state as close as possible to fearlessness allows us to approach the state of lucid waking. This is why I think any topic that deals with fear, and specifically, how to learn to curtail it, is important.

To this end I have found that an often ignored and overlooked method is a confession.

Admitting one’s fears and insecurities to friends and to strangers has the effect of lessening the impact and weight of these fears and insecurities. The more we keep our fears secret, the more power they seem to have. Trying to keep a facade of strength is not true strength. Being able to admit vulnerability is itself a small act of fearlessness.

Confessions the way I speak of them are not formal. They’re spontaneous and they can happen in almost any context where there is a listener. You can confess to someone who is anticipated to be friendly or hostile. Confessing to a potentially disagreeable person is a stronger effect than confessing to a friend. Confessing in public is stronger in its effect than in private.

Of course before you can confess something to someone else, you first have to admit it to yourself.

A good confession in my experience should make one at least slightly uncomfortable. It should push the comfort zone at least a little, ideally.

Over time, consistently repeated acts of turning oneself inside out have an effect. Less fear. And also one feels hollower inside. It’s like you have nothing inside, because nothing is private. It’s a good feeling. It’s a feeling opposite of carrying a lot of stored up baggage in one’s own mind and heart.