“We misuse our mental faculties by barely using them at all. We have the means to extinguish our fears, but we lack discipline in using it, like having the extinguisher in our hands as our home burns but choose not to use it because we’d have to aim.”-Brendon Burchard
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m so grateful for the people in my life who will just tell me what I need to hear, whenever I need to hear it. Nope, I’m not talking about telling me what I think I need to hear, but indeed what I truly need to hear. There is a difference between the two and this quote by Mr. Brendon Burchard sounds exactly like something we all need to hear sometimes.
It’s tough love, reminding us that for almost everything we seek in our lives in the way of change and/or progress, we actually have to get up and do something. There’s no sitting back and watching and waiting to see what happens. That’s exactly how your house….and everything else with it… will burn to complete and utter nothingness.
Ok, so what am I getting at here? Essentially, it’s no secret that we are all always dealing with fear in some form or fashion. I’m not talking just shaking in your boots fear that can make us feel weak and powerless when facing something significantly major. It may be something like the fear of public speaking, actually applying for a dream job, walking up to that guy and daring to ask him out, buying a home, moving across country…the list could go on and on. Whatever it may be, it’s all relative too, right? Where speaking in front of a room of 3,000 people would make most of my friends crumble to pieces…it excites me BEYOND MEASURE!!!! And where mentally I cannot fathom the actual process of another human being coming out of my body, almost all of my friends who are parents chuckle a little when I share this as one of my major fears and essentially say, “that’s nothing to be afraid of….your body will do what it needs to do.” Ummm, yeah but I’d still be deathly scurred. #allrelative.
In any event, when it comes to having to address fear, most of us would more readily embrace the fetal position than the warrior pose. More often than not, our tendencies may be to embrace ease and comfort instantly letting go of the opportunity to seize a challenge and embrace our capabilities as conquerors. Did she just say opportunity to seize a challenge? Yup. I really do believe that, challenges are actually opportunities just to see how friggin fierce we actually can be…and just a little reminder, the she who said it is also the one who never in a million years thought she would leave a home and go a distance of 3000+ miles to face a personal challenge and seize a life changing, future redefining opportunity. Seriously, do you know what I’ve learned about myself in just a little over two months?!?!?! No, but that’s not important. What’s important is what you have to learn about you by employing your extinguisher(s)-your means of putting out your fears, doubts, and mental blocks.
Yes, so you want me to elaborate on these extinguishers? Cool. Simply put, these are things, mindsets and mindshifts, the people or squad that motivates you, your faith, the personal affirmations and confessions, your playlist that gets you amped to face whatever challenge you’re facing, your mom! The list can go on and on but now you get what I’m getting at here.
Action plan for the week:
- Identify one thing that scares you…anything, big, small, you name it.
- Describe how you feel when it shows up and comes over you.
- Describe what it would feel like to stand up to that fear.
Now, get your warrior on and decide two things do you need to do to just start to stand up to it…what extinguishers are you going to use? Prayer, talking about it to a friend? Having your sister, your brother hold you accountable to address it? Whatever it is, get up. Stand firm. Look the fire in the face. AIM!
Soundtrack of the week: Janelle Monae’s, Tightrope…whether you’re high or low, brave or battling fear, even tip toeing is a start in the right direction!
Farah Bernier 