As the year matures and the excitement of 2016 begins to fade, how is your hope holding up?
Quite often after some time has passed, our hope is attacked by our fears. We may convince ourselves that it’s just another year of disappointments, unrealistic dreams and unachieved goals. The weight has not been lost, the job has not been found, and the relationship is still the same.
It’s hard to hope and easy to fear when you cannot see the harvest of the seeds you have sown.
Fear is the ultimate enemy of progress, and often the biggest indicator of our true dreams. If you fear rejection, it may indicate that you desire love. If you fear that you are missing out, it may indicate that you want to be included. If you fear death, you may be realizing you have so much more to accomplish by living. Fear is indeed a hindrance, but it’s also an opportunity for courage. Courage is key in our journey with hope, for what is hope without the bravery to believe in something bigger than what we see?
In order to combat fear we must realize the weapons in our arsenal. Firstly, we have more power over our fear that we give ourselves credit for. Our fears deal with future situations that may or may not occur in the way we are envisioning. Have you ever worried about something that never happened in the way you thought it would? Have you ever wondered if your energy would’ve been best spent thinking more positively? In the present, we have power over our own words, thoughts and actions. By exercising this power, we face our fears, feed into our hope and build up our confidence.
Another weapon against fear is love. When we occupy ourselves with love, we have no time to be afraid. True love is not self-seeking. It focuses on service, kindness, and sacrifice. When we love, we have to be brave. It requires a vulnerability that recognizes risk but chooses courage anyway.
Lastly, fighting fear takes discipline. Discipline to do the exact opposite of what your fear is telling you, and trusting anyway. If you’re still holding onto hope for that job, dream, or passion – be diligent in taking the necessary steps in that direction.
This week, consider what you would do if you were not afraid?
Look out for the next few “Monday Motivations” as we explore the fear of failure, fear of success, fear of rejection, and fear of the unknown.
Keep hoping and keep combatting fear.
