I want to share with you all some of my thoughts on fear; a subject often overlooked. There is a lot of fear going on around today's world and I hope today's post from me can be encouraging to those who need it most.
I'll start with my own personal life experiences. No matter what the obstacles have been in my life, or even the state of the world, I have done my best to keep fear at bay. There have only been two incidents in my twenty-eight years on this planet that have left me in a genuine state of fear; going to foster care and thinking that I'd never see my dad again, and my mom passing away in 2020.
I can't explain how or why, but throughout my chaotic childhood I have always hated the idea of giving into stress. Since I often found myself in situations that seemed out of my control as a child, I secretly felt that I was being bullied by an unknown force, and I had no choice but to face it. There were times where I would cry out of frustration or just completely shut out from the world around me because I felt so defeated, but deep down I had no intentions on giving up.
"Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision" - Winston Churchill
It's typical for people to assume these days that those who hold their heads high are the ones who are either privileged or naïve. That is, until we learn a bit about their past and we realize they're humans too with a past just like the rest of us; the only difference is that they refuse to be a victim. I can confidently say the same about myself. I recognized early in my life that I was destined to endure many difficulties, but instead of letting the turmoil get the best of me, I focused on what mattered; my attitude.
Unfortunately, not everyone is able to do this and as a result, I have watched many people that I loved in my life fall victim to their deepest fears. I was able to learn from those around me that fear in fact is debilitating. If you sit with it long enough, fear will steer you off your own path and misinterpret everything that comes your way. One minute you feel content and on top of the world, and then the next you're completely frozen in place. This is fear. It can be irrational and crippling at its worst.
It takes enduring a difficult life to understand how fear really works. It takes pain to realize your true strength and it takes courage to keep pushing forward. What helps us get through these difficulties is our own goals. You see, the more you focus on what you're aiming for in life, your fears will only serve as a stepping stone to help you achieve your goals. For example, when you're a child learning to walk for the first time, you may fall and cry at first, but with the help of an encouraging parent you eventually get back up and try again. The same applies to our fears; if we focus on the end result that we want, we end up using our own fear to help us grow, rather than our fears using us.
When I started to dive into my own self-development back in 2015, I realized that I couldn't be in control of my life if I allowed my fears to lead me. Just like the quote by Albert Einstein states,
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
So, I read books that lifted my spirit and helped me understand emotional intelligence. I read books on stoicism, I learned to listen to my own inner voice through meditation and affirmations, and I listened to well known speakers such as Jordan Peterson and Leslie Brown, my favorite speakers. The more I opened myself up to this world of new higher thinking and being, the easier it was to sift through my fears and get closer to rediscovering myself.
This is a lot harder to achieve though when the world at large is on edge and in a state of turmoil. When all we get from the TV are mixed signals and horrifying stories, it doesn't take long for the fear in us to kick in. If you watch the TV long enough, you'd likely end up believing that the world is a horrible place to be part of, but this is far from the truth. Just as we all have a choice to improve our lives, we can either focus on our own inner compass, or focus on an outsiders perspective. You can either take charge of your life and do what's best for you, or you can live in someone's projected fear. You can either empower yourself and lead by example to make the world a better place, or let fear lead you into a state of constant instability.
When I look at the world today and I see immense division and fear reflected back, I hope strength and enlightenment can guide us all towards a state of peace and balance. The reality is that we can only grow by believing in our ability to overcome any challenges; not by feeding it with more fear. By coexisting and working with those around us, we remove our differences and focus on our strengths that brings us together.
"Do not pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one." - Bruce Lee
So by using our own fears to help us stand taller during such challenging times, we give ourselves permission to grow and we inspire others to do the same. After all, fear is a tool to be used as a stepping stone towards our progress, but it is not a foundation to rely on for security.
Until next time! xoxo - Sarah
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