Thoughts for Thursday: Fear

I know it may be difficult to imagine, but sometimes I am at a loss for words. Either I just don't quite feel it, or there's a whole jumble of thoughts racing around my brain, but nothing wanting to sit still long enough for me to get a grip on it.

I've been going through the latter a LOT recently. There's been much niggling at my brain but I couldn't quite make sense of it all. Seemingly disconnected thoughts, patterns, ideas kept popping up and I felt like I was completely missing something.

And I was. I was missing that thread that strung them all together, and it was sitting in front of me like the HUGEMONGOUS 5 ton purple elephant in the room.

Fear.

It's everywhere! Don't believe me? Just look at how the US economy has taken on a life of it's own: it's now talked about like the drunk uncle that no one wants to deal with, but everyone has an opinion about, and it's never good, and is blamed when things go the way you don't expect them to.

Fear is so much a part of our lives that it's hard to see it: Fear that we have too much weight/clutter/tasks/laundry/bills/pain/anxiety/responsibilities/etc. Fear that we don't have enough time/energy/money/motivation/willpower/love/hope/etc.

Fear stops us from taking that one extra step instead of standing still; picking up the phone to reach out to a friend instead of hiding away in our homes; choosing fruit over fries; saying I love you one more time; planning instead of procrastinating; dreaming and doing instead of doubting.

Fear keeps us stuck in a rut; doing the same thing we've always done so we get what we've always gotten. (A rut, after all, is just a shallow grave with two open ends.)

We are afraid for the times when we're in a valley. We're are afraid we don't have the strength to pull ourselves out, to climb the next mountain to see the clear view.

Situations change. They always do. It's very cliche, but you can't always be standing on top of the mountain. You have to go down into the valley once in awhile - that's the time when you experience change, growth, revelations are made, determination is strengthened, and miracles happen.

Do you know what is more powerful than fear?

Faith.

Faith in yourself. Faith in a higher power. Faith that a person or thing will placed in your path to help you when you need it most.

How do you build your faith, rather than feed your fear?

Words.

It's a common theme amongst motivational speakers because it's true: What you think about and speak about you bring about.

Words have amazing power - don't believe me? Think about the last time someone gave you a compliment. I'll give you a few minutes. You had to really think about it, didn't you? But when you did, it made you smile just a bit, didn't it?

Now, think about the time someone said something hurtful to you. Didn't have to think very hard did you? And it probably brought up the emotions and feelings the same as if you heard it 1 minute ago.

What do you want to give power to: your fears or your dreams?

By saying negative, fear-filled words continually - I'm fat, I'm stupid, I'm lazy, etc. you are only doing one thing: disrespecting yourself, your dreams and your potential.

As the poem says: "You are a child of God. Your playing small does NOT serve the world".

Change your words, change your mind, change your life.

Positive, encouraging, empowering affirmations spoken daily will speak life and power into those dreams and turn them into realities.

You can start with something as simple as repeating "I love and accept myself" to yourself daily.

Whatever you do, make the decision to take a step of faith, fight your fear, and to speak powerful words of loving kindness to yourself.