There’s a reason fear keeps showing up on The Freq Show—it’s not just a theme, it’s a teacher.

Jaclyn Steele Thurmond, joined by her husband Sam, opens up a deeply human and healing conversation around fear: how it shows up in our lives, how it’s used as a tool to control us, and—most importantly—how we can move beyond it.

For Jaclyn, the moment of reckoning came during a quiet but intense internal spiral. She found herself nearly paralyzed by fear, unable to see the way forward. Like many of us, she turned to journaling and prayer. Her question was simple: “God, how do I move past this?” The answer? Just as simple, but radically profound: “Live.”

Not just survive. Not just wait it out. But really live.

Capital-L Live. Full-out. No holding back.

And suddenly, the fog of fear started to lift.

Confrontation Of Fear

Jaclyn shares what it felt like to sit with discomfort after years of pushing past it. “My nervous system didn’t know how to rest,” she says. “I’d been surviving for so long—through performance, perfectionism, people-pleasing—that when I finally slowed down, I didn’t know how to just be.”

At first, the stillness felt unbearable. But what she began to notice—through prayer, through walking, through breathing and listening—was that underneath the fear was something much softer. A desire to feel safe. To feel whole. To feel known.

Sam reflects on how he watched Jaclyn navigate this confrontation of fear and what it took to support her through it. “Sometimes the bravest thing is just staying,” he says. “Not running from the discomfort. Not fixing it. Just being with it.”

“You’re never going to eliminate it.” And maybe that’s not the goal. Instead, we’re invited to reframe fear. What if fear isn’t something to eradicate but something to move with? What if it’s pointing us toward the exact place we’re meant to grow?

For both Jaclyn and Sam, fear has become a kind of compass. And the more they face it, the more they build emotional muscle. “Fear doesn’t shrink,” Sam says. “You grow bigger.”

It’s not about the absence of risk. It’s about building resilience in the face of it.

“Maybe the boulder is twice as big,” Jaclyn reflects, “but you’re four times as strong now.”

Why Healthy Confrontation Matters

Jaclyn’s journey highlights something many of us forget: fear isn’t just a thought. It’s in our bodies. It’s shaped by our stories. It’s stored in our cells. And until we turn and face it—gently, lovingly, without shame—we can’t heal it.

“Fear isn’t always the enemy,” she shares. “Sometimes it’s a messenger. It’s pointing to something inside of us that wants attention, care, and truth.”

This is exactly why they built the Freq App—to help people move through fear with practical, soul-centered tools. One calibration in particular, “Put Fear In Its Place,” has resonated deeply with their community. Sam explains how it’s not just about pushing through—it’s about finding peace in the middle of the fear, not just after it’s passed.

As Sam puts it, “The peace you’re looking for isn’t on the other side of the mountain—it’s on this side, during the climb.”

It’s a message we don’t hear enough: You don’t have to wait for everything to be okay before you feel okay.

If you’re reflecting on how faith, identity, and tuning into your inner worth support this work of confronting fear, check out “Letting Go Of The Need For Approval.” It’s a tender exploration of how approval-seeking and perfectionism hold us back from rest, authenticity, and true belonging.

Perception Of Fear

Sam adds a compelling perspective by suggesting that our perception of fear often holds more power than the actual fear itself. “When you believe fear means danger, you avoid it. But when you believe fear can be a teacher, you lean in.”

Jaclyn agrees. “For a long time, I thought confrontation meant conflict. I avoided confrontation in every way. But now I see that loving confrontation—of myself, of the stories I’ve believed, of my emotions—is actually healing.”

Jaclyn shares poignant stories from her own life: childhood moments when her father modeled calm and courage, traveling abroad days after a major bombing, skydiving at sixteen. She once thought she was naturally fearless—but life evolved. Marriage, motherhood, and business shifted the landscape. The stakes felt higher. The fears became more nuanced: health, money, the future.

Sam relates, too. Early in marriage, the pressure to provide hit him hard. Over time, through the ups and downs of real estate and entrepreneurship, they’ve both learned that fear isn’t a sign to stop—it’s an invitation to expand.

And as they grow, they’ve created tools to help others do the same.

If fear is starting to feel familiar—and you're ready to unpack the deeper beliefs behind it—you might also resonate with “The Frequency of Self‑Sabotage: Why Growth Feels Unsafe (and How to Move Through It).” Jaclyn dives into how growth triggers old nervous system patterns and shares soulful tools to move through that tension with grace.

How To Confront Fear

If you’re in a season of fear—or just tired of avoiding the deeper truths within yourself—these practices can help you begin the slow, gentle work of healing.

1. Get Curious Instead Of Judgmental

Fear often arises from the stories we tell ourselves. Instead of judging your fear, ask: What is this trying to show me? Curiosity softens confrontation anxiety and allows you to explore your emotions without shame.

2. Practice Stillness Daily

Our culture rewards constant doing, but fear often lives in the stillness we avoid. Start small: 3 minutes of silence, breathwork, or prayer each day can help your nervous system feel safe enough to process.

3. Notice Where You Feel It In Your Body

Jaclyn shares how fear used to live in her chest and stomach. Naming where you feel fear helps anchor the experience and opens a door to deeper healing.

4. Use Movement As Medicine

Whether it’s a walk, dance, stretching, or working out, moving your body helps release stuck energy. It’s especially helpful if your instinct is to avoid confrontation or shut down emotionally.

5. Reconnect With Safety

Ask yourself: What makes me feel safe right now? That might be a warm bath, a hug, scripture, journaling, or your favorite tea. Safety is the antidote to fear.

6. Invite God Into The Conversation

Jaclyn emphasizes the role faith played in her healing. “When I was most afraid, I just said, ‘Jesus, be with me in this.’ And every time—I felt less alone.” Divine companionship is powerful medicine for fear.

7. Stop Performing

Jaclyn reflects on how her old patterns—proving, over-giving, saying yes to everything—were ways of avoiding fear. “When I stopped performing, I started healing,” she says.

8. Speak It Out Loud

Fear loses its grip when spoken in a safe space. Share with a therapist, friend, spouse, or mentor. “When I told Sam my deepest fears, he didn’t run. That changed everything,” Jaclyn shares.

9. Set Boundaries With Fear-Based Habits

Avoid confrontation? Always say yes? Scroll to numb out? Set small but clear boundaries with those habits. Choose presence over patterns.

10. Celebrate Your Bravery

Confronting fear is not weakness—it’s courage. Jaclyn suggests keeping a list of things you’ve faced, survived, or spoken aloud. “Every act of courage counts,” she says.

11. Embrace “Both-And” Thinking

It’s possible to feel fear and move forward. To be anxious and also anchored. Holding duality is a skill that helps you avoid confrontation without shutting down.

12. Allow Emotions To Flow

Instead of bottling up, let yourself cry, yell, or journal it out. “Suppressing fear makes it louder. Expressing it makes it move,” Jaclyn says.

Another post you might love: “How To Master Your Mindset.” It breaks down how our thoughts set the emotional thermostat of our lives—and offers practical, frequency‑tuned steps to shift fear-based thinking into presence and power.

Final Thought: An Invitation

You’re not weak for being afraid. You’re human.

You don’t have to earn your worth through bravery or hide your trembling hands. There’s space for your mess, your fear, your process.

Because fear doesn’t disqualify you from love, purpose, or peace. It’s just asking to be seen.

So wherever you are today—in stillness, in struggle, in healing—may you know that you’re already enough.

May you confront fear not with force, but with tenderness.

The key is in perspective. Most of our modern fears aren’t threats—they’re thoughts. And as Jaclyn gently reminds, “A thought only sticks if you let it stick.”

So what’s the antidote to fear?

Living. Fully. Audaciously. Joyfully.

And if that feels hard, start small. Move one foot forward. Ask for help. Use a tool like the Freq App. And remember, fear might be real—but so is your strength.

The question Jaclyn leaves us with is a powerful one:
“What makes you feel alive?” Go and do it.

Live on purpose. Live on frequency.

Ien Araneta - editor of The Freq Show & The Beckon Times

The Confrontation Of Fear: What Happens When You Stop Running From Yourself