"Replace fear-based thinking with love-based thinking. Every time you're making a choice, ask yourself if it's going to cultivate the experience of unity and love or the experience of separation and stress." – Deepak Chopra

We all experience fear. When it comes to living with a chronic condition like lupus, fear can manifest in many ways.

Sometimes our initial diagnosis gives us fears about our quality of life. Dealing with the realities of our "new normal," with lupus can put us in a chronically fearful state of mind. Will I have a fatigue today? Will I be able to attend to my daily tasks flare-free? Fear about outcomes that are beyond our control can facilitate fear taking root.

"I finally came to realize that my fears about having lupus and what that could potentially mean were ADDING to my pain. Once I consciously decided to relieve myself of that burden I could better focus on managing my lupus." – Member of MyLupusTeam

Here are recent conversations from MyLupusTeam members:

• "Panic is our great enemy. Say to yourself today, I will relax, breathe and go with the flow Many of us have been afraid for so long that we don’t label our feelings here. We are used to feeling upset and anxious. It’s time to thank our old fears for helping us survive then wave goodbye to them. We don’t need that much fear anymore. Listen to our healthy fear and let go of the rest."
• "It was a wonderful evening full of, fun love and happiness. Who could ask for anything more? I am truly blessed and it made me not think about the symptoms that I cannot do anything about."
• "I have struggled with depression and anxiety as well off and on and I have learned that getting help with those are key importance to helping with my pain and overall health. A big majority of Lupus patients will have some sort of psych issues like depression and anxiety at some point. Just know you are not alone."

Dealing with fear will look different for everyone. Sometimes it means arguing with our intrusive thoughts. Sometimes it looks like meditating to clear the mind.

How do you stop fear from taking over? Join the conversation below.