So much has happened since 2015 entered our world. I travelled somewhere new, I fell even more in love, I had days of excitement & days in the dumps. It has only been a couple of weeks since we said hello to the New Year and already I have learned so much.
First, don't ever think that a certain thought or feeling you have is invalid or not normal. Each one of us breathes, thinks, and feels differently than everyone else and the way we interpret experiences can be completely different. There is no right or wrong or a set of "rules" that tells you how life is supposed to be… even though we think there are sometimes.
As an LDS, twenty-three year old, living in Provo, and surrounded by what seems like perfection, it is easy to feel out of the norm. I am at an age where Fear seems to nudge its way in and take over. I fear a lot of things… the future, my career, my love life, my dancing, my potential. The list could go on and on. Fear is an emotion that we all face, and if we let it fester long enough, it can completely take over. It can immobilize you and keep you from moving forward. I definitely don't have this emotion figured out, but I have tried to conquer fear on the daily and I have found some things that help!
1. Face Your Fears.
We hear this all of the time & I know that it is so much easier said than done, but truly the best way to overcome your fears is to take them on head strong and face them. You probably won't succeed right away, but failing is what makes you grow and progress. "Failing doesn't mean that you are a failure". These are the times where we have to keep getting up and brushing ourselves off… and trying again. Facing your fear just a little bit at a time can have a huge impact. I'm not sure if fears ever really go away completely, but they can be minimized and controlled in a healthy way. Don't you ever EVER give up.
2. Talk it out.
Everyone's fears are different… which means that the way we tackle them is going to be different. Something that really helps me is talking to someone I know I can trust. A good friend, family member, or leader. Getting advice and love is exactly what I need to keep pushing forward when I am at my low. Getting advice can help you build confidence and can help you tackle things from a different angle.
3. Change your mind.
This is another one of those easier said than done tactics, but FEARS are something we perceive and lock in our brains. Our emotions are tied to those things that scare us and that is a hard thing to change. I have those set things that I am fearful of and that take over… but something I have tried to do is change the way I perceive my fears. I try to look at them in a different way and reconstruct my emotions one by one. This is something that takes a lot of time and it is a day to day, hour to hour process. Try to make those little changes and never forget to note your progress… no matter how small.
4. Prayer.
This is the biggest one. Now, more than ever, I have felt the love and help of my Savior. I have made The Lord a promise to do all that I can to keep His commandments--to pray and read my scriptures every night and go to the temple once a week-- & if I did that.. I asked if He would help me overcome my fears. A promise that we are given in the scriptures is that if we do our part & pray for help, God will literally take our fears away. I have witnessed this personally and have grown a stronger testimony because of it. God makes all things possible and gives you that peace and comfort that you are searching for. He is real and I know that He listens.
You have to have FAITH my dear friend. You have to act on that faith and believe with everything that you have that you can do this. Yes, you are going to have really good days followed by really bad days, but you are not alone. Just keep pushing and fighting with everything that you have and know that you are making strides of progress even when it feels like you haven't moved. Just do & act, keeping The Lord first, and everything will fall into place. Don't let your fears overtake you and keep you from reaching your full potential. You can do this.
xoxo
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