I'm convinced that fear is one of the worst things in life. Think about all of the negative ways that fear affects your life. Think about all of the decisions you make or do not make because of fear in your life. Or think about the risks that you do not take or the relationships you do not pursue because of fear. You would do well to take a good look at the fears in your life and to attempt to tackle them head first until they are no longer fears.
In my own life, identifying specific fears was the first step for me to getting over my fears. I took a few hours and made a very long list of the things I was afraid of. I included the biggest fears I had all the way down to the smallest, most insignificant fears I had. I would encourage you to take time to do the same thing. It may seem like a strange task, but just think about the freedom you can live in if you learn to overcome your fears.
I was amazed as I wrote at how many things were holding me in fear and affecting my life. One of the fears that was affecting my life the most was my fear of flying on an airplane. I knew that I was afraid to fly and I knew many other people that had a fear of flying as well, but I had never calculated the cost of that fear in my life. Only as I sat down and got honest with myself did I realize that my fear of flying had hindered me from traveling many times. I had missed out on a class reunion, a trip to Europe with my son, and a whole host of other opportunities simply because of my fear.
The process of recognizing my fears became frustrating and maddening to me as I added up all the ways that fear had stolen life and opportunities away from me. Can you think of ways that fear has hindered or kept you from living well? If so, you need to make a serious effort to stop those fears that are affecting you. If your list of fears contains any that are easy to overcome I suggest that you start today to do what it takes to overcome those fears.
Perhaps you are afraid of spending too much time alone. While this is a normal fear that many people deal with, it can steal away the comfort and relaxation that time alone can often give you. I'd suggest training yourself to be alone for small amounts of time until you can easily handle a few hours or even a day without the company of others. Try reading a book, working on your garden or doing another activity you enjoy. What freedom you will have if you can learn to be alone.
My advice to you is simple: stop fear now. Do whatever you can to stop letting fear rule your life. You will be much happier and much more free the less fear controls you. |
