FEAR - What Have You Gotten Me?
Marriage proposal. Dating. Being alone. Airplanes. Relocation. Loss. 3rd career. Getting old. Making a decision. Readiness. Money. Divorce. Growing my hair out. Conversation with my father. Selling my home. Commitment. Conflict. A Dog. Public speaking. Being not good enough. Death. There's so much talk these days about one's "Bucket List". So much so there was a movie made on it a few years back. What isn't talked about is one's list of fears. Over Happy Hour last week, a group of friends and I had a not-so-happy discussion about fear and how we have allowed what we each describe fear as feeling like, dictate how we choose to live our life, or I should say, not fully live life. I've listed, above, a few things that were mentioned. Have you taken an inventory of your fears? Have you taken time to jot down the thoughts that are behind your feeling of fear? Thoughts that your inner critic is bullying you about? Thoughts having to do with perhaps a lack of confidence? Lack of self-esteem, lack of empowerment? How have you, in choosing to believe these thoughts, allowed fear to dictate living your life vs. keeping you on the sidelines of your life? Make a list. Then fast forward to 3 years from now. Where do you envision your life to be, how have you changed, what's in your life and what's not? Look at your list from that +3 year vantage point. Has your list of fears turned into a list of regret(s)? How will you choose to not let fear dictate the quality of life you want to live today? Remember, fear is a feeling, an emotion and nothing more than a vibration in your body. Feelings and emotions can't hurt you. But thoughts can stop you. Is the thought of NOT being fearful too large to believe in right now? Here's a bridge thought to work on: I may be afraid of ________________, BUT NOT TODAY! Go out and make it a fearless day today.