As 2023 came to a close and 2024 quickly closed in, I struggled with establishing New Year’s resolutions. The same old same old...make a resolution... stick to it for a while... and then it dissipates... is a bit played out for me.
Instead, for 2024 I wanted to focus on something that I’ve come to learn about myself that needed a major facelift. After much reflection and prayer, I found it.
It’s simply this: Face Fear with Faith.
Not a New Year’s resolution but a new mindset that will continue for the long-haul.
Understanding my emotions...
Acknowledging and seeking to understand my trauma and associated trauma responses...
Knowing my trauma triggers, personal annoyances, undeniable strengths, ugly flaws, and yes, my fears...
While it is still a work in progress, becoming more self-aware has been incredibly beneficial.
Through this process I learned that I have a whole lot of fear masquerading around as something else. Sometimes it shows up as procrastination, hyper-busyness, perfectionism, comfortability, and complacency, to a name a few.
The more I reflect, I've yet to think of a time that fear has been an aide more than its been a hinderance.
As far back as my early twenties, I've had visions, ideas, and desires, that I've wanted to take on; often subtle and frequently disguised as something else - fear, stopped me.
Last year I realized that fear, in and of itself, has no real competitive advantage.
Fear keeps me from tapping into the greatness swelling inside of me. It causes me to shrink when I should shine. Fear keeps me stuck in the same mentality. It holds me hostage to habitual negative behaviors. Fear places limits on how high or far I can elevate. It creates doubt, discouragement, and delay. And, you know what? I'm sick of her.
Here is what I have learned about fear:
Fear has been a thief of my time.
Time stops for no one. And regardless of my fears, time still moves forward. When fear causes me to retreat, time does what is does best, goes by. And when finally awakened from whatever fear coma I've been in for weeks, months, or years (sheesh) - I find that I'm standing in the same spot, while time has zipped right on by.
I've learned that there is no more perfect time than the present to start that business, write that book, make that investment, take that step. Step forward, away from fear and into faith, because one thing is for sure, time will surely keep ticking.
Fear has been a thief of my peace.
When fear is involved, I exhaust a whole lot of mental energy cycling through the laundry list of scary “what ifs.” This carousel of non-existent scenarios takes up far more space in my mind than it should. And in those moments, when I don’t leave fear at God’s feet, I trade His peace to wrestle with my useless, mentally draining, fears.
As I am writing this, I am reminded of a important scripture, 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Enough said.
Fear has been a thief of the exceedingly and abundantly.
If I can’t press beyond my fears, I’ll never experience the unimaginable, without limits, possibilities God has in store that are tailored made for me. The exceedingly-and-abundantly-above-what-I-can-imagine-or-think possibilities that only God can do (Ephesians 3:20).
I can't pretend to know exactly how I am going to face fear head on with faith, but I do know that it involves much prayer, the word of God, and intensely listening to the Holy Spirit to stop, listen and act when fear makes her attempt to stop me.
*Singing* I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, Dancing through the fire, 'Cause I am a champion, and fear's gonna hear me roar..." or whatever Katy Perry said.
Is fear camping out in your life as something else? How will you face fear with faith this year?
To learn more about Lifestyle Longevity's lifestyle and travel management services visit www.lifestylelongevity.org