Creating and Taming Fear Dragons
I'm pleased to introduce Marlene Anderson, an inspirational and motivational speaker, author and life coach as my guest blogger. More about Marlene and her books at the end of this article.
“God does not give us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind.”
—2 Timothy 1:7
What scares you the most on a day-to-day basis? Are you concerned about your job, or your kids or testing positive for cancer? Fears are normal and natural. They help us plan and think and prepare. But they can also become deep-seated anxieties that monopolize our thinking to the exclusion of problem solving.
Fears, like anger, can become excessive. They can appear like huge dragons or monsters threatening everything we do to the point where we no longer see options or opportunities.
The excessive fears we create in our mind seem just as real as any physical danger we might encounter. In fact, they are probably more resistant and difficult to deal with because once created, we go to great lengths to prove to ourselves and others that they are real. When we do, we set ourselves up for a self-fulfilling prophecy.
There are valid reasons for paying attention to fear.
Fears are a survival mechanism that tells us to stop, be careful and proceed with caution. However, if our focus remains on the feelings only without searching for solutions to problems they may be pointing to, it creates a sense of helplessness and we stop looking for answers.
Fear of failure reveals our insecurities. Face them and we grow from them. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses. Don’t allow this fear to take over your life. Use it instead to find authentic ways to grow in confidence and become genuine.
Fear can drive us to God. It is where I draw my strength and hope for the future every day. Understanding that we have a loving Almighty God who cares about us, guides and strengthens us, is both humbling and empowering. Don’t leave home without Him.
Fear can isolate us. We need the support of others. If we constantly fear rejection or humiliation, we will miss out on the wonderful relationships we can have. Fear challenges us to get out of our comfort zone. For example, public speaking is a challenge for most of us and is often avoided. While being pleased at being asked to speak, fear of failure can take over. You can overcome much of your apprehension by looking for opportunities to speak in small comfortable gatherings of friends you trust and with whom you share common interests. The more you do, the more confident you will become.
“What am I really afraid of?”
Fear begs the question, “What am I really afraid of?” Listen to those inner thoughts. What are they are saying to you? Healthy fear tells you to pay attention to what is happening. Excessive and unhealthy fear tells you nothing will ever be okay.
Face your fear -- step out of your comfort zone.
Face your fear. Sit down and have a conversation with it. Everybody has fears - some rational, and some irrational. Just as fears protect us, they can also help us grow.
Speak to yourself from a position of strength. You have a multitude of talents and abilities. Accept your weaknesses along with your strengths. Take that risk and step out of your comfort zone.
Marlene Anderson is an inspirational and motivational speaker, author and life coach. She is the author of A Love So Great, A Grief so Deep and contributing author to It’s A God Thing and Heaven Reaching Earth, available on Amazon. You can listen to her podcasts and read her weekly blogs at her website, www.focuswithmarlene.com. She can be contacted at focuswithmarlene@gmail.com
Blog Host
Linda M. Kurth is a writer and a divorced and remarried Christian. In going through the divorce, she experienced a dichotomy of responses from the Christian community. After sharing some of those experiences in her upcoming memoir, God, the Devil, and Divorce, she's heard many stories of divorced Christians who have struggled with the same issues. This blog invites divorced Christians to tell their stories with the goal of encouraging churches to resist condemnation and become a source of healing and grace. If you are interested in sharing your story, email Linda for guidelines: Linda@LindaMKurth.com
