What Is FEAR?

What is fear?

Quite interestingly, fear stands for FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL

In reviewing some fears in my own life, I came to an AHA moment earlier today when I looked at where my fears are coming from. Where does fear come from? It most usually manifests itself from a place of the unknown. A lack of control. The possibility of failure. Pride. These are all huge things...But the AHA here is interesting. While it is very human for us to have fear, if you think about it, it's quite silly.

I've never done something, therefore I will fail in doing it. Ummmm, can we say, RIDICULOUS?? How can you learn something new, experience life, grow, etc., if we do not take the initial steps first? I cannot fail at something then if I do not try in the first place, is that it? Becuase I for one do not want to live my life that way. It's a trap. It might be a safe trap, but wow, how boring would our lives be if we did not try new things, stumble as we go, try again, get a bit better, keep trying until we master it and feel a sense of success and fulfillment, even pride for continuing to try and never giving up! That's more the place I'd like to be.

The next time you are feeling fear or uncertainty and it seems to be holding you back, just think...where is that fear coming from really? What's the worst thing that could happen by stepping into the fear, taking it head on? And what could come from the perspective of possibility verses ultimate failure?

FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL...FEAR...don't believe the hype! :)

The Power of the Open Heart

I've been thinking alot lately about the heart, and how we take strides to protect our hearts without even knowing it.

What is it about our lives, the day to day paths we take, the experiences we have, that make us put walls up around our hearts? And in doing so, are we really protecting ourselves from hurt, or are we actually just hurting ourselves more by trying to protect our hearts from the mere possiblity of getting hurt again?

I've discovered that in order for us to grow beyond whatever hurt we have experienced in the past, we need to leave that hurt where it belongs, in the past, and move forward. By doing so, we can be free from a fear that can truly hold us back from living the kind of life we're meant to live.

When we hide in fear, those walls of protection all around us in the disguide of defensiveness, humour, selfishness, or just checking out, I believe we are unable to grow in who we are meant to be and serve as we are meant to serve in this world. I also believe that little by little, those walls smother us and shrink us down to the point that we no longer have the ability to discern ourselves. We may desire change, but have no way of actually making change because we become so small and scared. We strong, confident, beautiful beings in essence are reduced to a ball curled up on the floor, getting kicked around by life that is happening all around us. Can we truly desire our lives to be lived out in such a way? I can't think so. So then, how do we free ourselves from it?

I really feel we are, all around us, surrounded by loving friendship and support. We are not meant to live this life alone. This is why we have family, why we build friendships, why we long for community and relationship. What we need to remember though, is what those relationships need to be at times. Accountable, loving, open and honest and daring to speak out to eachother in a way where we can be challenged and desire to change and grow - together. Like reaching your hand down to that curled up ball and helping them on their feet, so must we challenge eachother to look at ourselves truly in the mirror and see our potential, our hope and our future. The past is there as a reminder only to serve us in learning. It's not meant to be held on to, at times even ferociously. When we let the past go and move boldly one step at a time forward, we can be truly free and we become alive once again, wiser and more hopeful.

I've mused enough for one day, but I'd love to know your thoughts on this, and if you feel like you are a person living and trapped by the past and your fears, or someone who has been there, done that, and took those bold strides to step out, step up and step ahead.

Be in this moment, live it the best you can be and love on someone else today with an open heart. That ability will change the relationships around you and be a light where at times there is no light. And we all grow in light, don't we...

Potential...Past or Present?

Potential...this is a word we have heard atleast once or twice in our lifetime...perhaps in grade school, from a parent, even in your job. Now it might be possible that this word was somewhat underwhelming to you - you really did not give it much thought, beyond the moment in which it was shared.

I've been thinking about this word as it pertains to our lives, in our moments and so I share it with you now.

Potential, from the latin word potentialis which means POWER.  The Webster dictionary defines potential as "existing in possibility : capable of development into actuality"

Think about this for a moment...this is not underwhelming at all.  We are each of us EXISTING IN POSSIBILITY. That is indeed powerful. We can take each moment and just allow it to pass by unnoticed, unrecognised, or we can take that moment and run with it. CAPABLE OF DEVELOPMENT INTO ACTUALITY...Take what comes to us each day, every thought unanswered, every idea just a blip in time, every desire of our heart just that - a desire - and instead, choose to turn the idea, the thought, the desire, into actuality, REALITY!

I want you to take a deep breath and push away any cynical thoughts or ideas. See this for what it is. YOU do not have potential. You ARE potential! You do not exist without it! You are POWERFUL! You do not exist without it! Own that. Believe in it and then you will be able to see all of the possiblity that you encompass. All around you, in every direction, in every moment, you choose how your life will unfold by simply actioning your ideas, thoughts and desires.

I leave you with this thought and as always, appreciate your comments and feedback. Go out and action your potential. Know that there is purpose in it and remember always that you make a difference in this world.

The Story

Every one of us is writing our own story. With each passing moment, each passing hour, each passing day, the day to day experiences we take on get written on the hearts and minds of every person we interect with and that includes ourselves.

When you think about how your story is being written, what do you see? Is it captivating? Will people be drawn to your story, so taken by it that they will want to be a part of it, imitate it, tell others about it? Are you proud of the story that is your life?

Today, as you walk through this thing called life,  make it all it can be with a knowing that you are writing the pages of your story with each action, with each response to what today hands out to you, and through the people you choose to make a part of it all.

Remember, this is your life, and so it is your story...to be continued...

Now pick up that pen and write!

Attitude

I decided that today, I need to share some words that have effected my thoughts and my heart over the years on ATTITUDE. This is not a trait, it's a choice we make in our everyday lives in the way we see the world and circumstances around us. This speaks again to what I've said in previous writings regarding REACTING verses RESPONDING

 WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE CHOICES YOU ARE SHOWN ON A DAILY BASIS?

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on our lives. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a home, a church. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I believe that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you my friend, we are in charge of our attitudes.

- Charles Swindoll