Why are aspirations ditched?
Does self-belief lead to success and fear to failure? Is it really either razzle dazzle or gloom and doom? Some will have and some will not. I’m sure there are an array of reasons for all the aspirations that have been ditched and left for dead. But why?
Reasons, reasons, a million reasons but aren’t they really just excuses. Lord knows I’ve come up with enough and even invented a few; some plausible but most not.
Imagine if J. K. Rowling threw in the towel due to her unfavorable circumstances. A failed marriage, a young child, depression and fear, and suicidal thoughts. Left without options, she turned to welfare. She continued writing and submitting to no avail. Her copy was rejected a dozen times. Thankfully for Harry Potter fans around the world, Rowling persevered without seizing. She wrote, “fear of failure is the saddest reason on earth not to do what you were meant to do”. One must try in order to know.
Do I have what it takes?
It’s been a long time coming so here goes. My sincere shot at sharing stories of life and love. Let’s see if I can can make a worthy difference in someone’s life and maybe more. Sounds like a tall order to me.
A brilliant composer of stories that amaze and entertain. A lifestyle that yields fascinating and riveting experiences. A gooroo with spectacular topics to teach and train. A traveler to share and show sensational explorations. Folk like these with any desire would be well on their way.
But these are definitely not me.
Compelling reasons or not?
Why try? The nudging, oh the nudging. You can do it, just try; the relentless intermittent thoughts. Outrageous positivity just driving it home. The encouraging voices are welcome until they morph into the likeness of Debbie Downer. Positivity to negativity quickly turns taunting and seems irrefutable. Whether soft and subtle or megaphone, the chanting seems like no end.
Pride and fear inevitably interfere; above all they love being front runners and for months on end they’ve made the journey more bitter than sweet.
Knowing the true mastermind may leave some thoughts a bit harsh but they’re aimed at the other side; the one who knows exactly how to buzz in the despair. As a result, the unwelcome thoughts become quite the battle. But in the end, He will win.
How did it start?
Women filled the large space. All seeking the truth and wanting more I suppose; a better way, a better life. At least that’s what I was hoping to gain.
The encounters of listening, learning, sharing and journaling were endless. The inspiration was amazing and impactful. All the wondrous thoughts were just begging to make a difference.
Months of note taking were stacking up and recollection of friends encouraging me to share my past began to merge in my mind. Do the two have common ground? Maybe so. What if they came together nicely placed on pages and then bound by cover? Talk about a a massive undertaking; a doozy indeed.
Turning Point
I cozied up in a comfy chair to assess the choices while shopping for gifts at a local bookstore. A young man offered assistance and before he knew better he was knee deep, too late to save himself. After a minute or thirty, he must have been all the wiser that I had no clue. I’ve never been good with verbatim but it probably didn’t matter. All I heard was whoa Nelly, are you really ready. He nailed it by suggesting a blog. Now there’s an idea I could wrap my mind around; one article at a time or so I thought.
Fear Steps In
Topics and outlines began to take shape and then the infamous other side began:
- You can’t blog.
- You don’t have what it takes.
- No one will ready and if they do, they’ll find no interest.
- Your grammar is less than par.
- Don’t kid yourself, you can’t write.
Thoughts like these took root quickly, stopping at nothing to squash anything remotely resembling that of good. He’d encourage for months on end and I’d try but fear would win; a battle but never the war.
Victory and Hurdles
This is just one article, a tiny triumph, with unavoidable hurdles on the horizon. Why the negativity? I call it preparation for the human emotion that will bring unpleasantness like many times before. So being one-up and ready is best, saddle up, and ride, ride, ride or better yet … write, write, write.
Does any of this sound remotely familiar? Inexhaustible efforts leading nowhere all due to unworthy self-doubt. Fear typically does not fumble rather passes the fail to countless victims. Have you allowed fear to stump you? It halts most right in our tracks. In my experience it will every time unless one takes control, stands resilient, and mustards up the will to stay the course. Is this a steadfast solution? Does it work every time? Nope but when you fall, stand up, dust off, and jump back on again.
Only time will tell the tale but trying is better than not having tried at all.
Aspire and Plan to Succeed
What do you want to accomplish; big or small?
Here’s some of mine:
- Volunteer
- Start a blog
- Declutter the home
- Learn to really cook
- Study the Bible
- Get out of bed earlier
Maybe the easiest way to success is just start doing. But doing what? Anything that gets you going and makes you feel accomplished. I prefer lists and plans. Smaller goals may not need pen and paper but the heftier ones will. Start with reasonable tasks, expectations, and deadlines; tiny doable pieces that allow success right out of the gate.
Let’s address my desire to get out of bed earlier. A plan? Yep, a plan indeed.
Did you know there’s a negative impact of hitting the snooze every morning? It’s the mental anguish of repeatedly putting off the inevitable. The detrimental part is removing myself from the warmth and coziness. I decided to relocate the alarm clock across the room. Once up and moving should do the trick. So how’s it going? Next plan of action may include moving it down the hall but for now it’s offering some much needed cardio.
Would it be safe to say goals have a better chance with well-thought-out plans? For me, it’s a no brainer. But how about adding faith to the mix rather than going it alone? Invite Him in, share your ambition, and ask Him to take the lead. Just remember, successes can seem like failures; all a part of His will to offer the way. I don’t recall anyone ever saying it was going to be easy but I’d rather try.
Would you like some help?
Here’s a couple of verses to lean on as you work through the things you want most. In the first, He clearly promises “I will help you”. The second tells us we can do anything through Him. Keywords are ‘help’ and ‘we can do’. The hard part is truly understanding that it is ultimately up to us. Do we truly trust Him? Do we truly believe in Him? And an even bigger one, is it His will? They’re all a challenge for me. Remember, God helps those who help themselves. We are free to do or not to do.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Finally Feeling the Win
Fear has definitely played a significant role but I’m proud for hanging in there and seeing this through. It’s a major milestone of achievement regardless the outcome. While I realize I’ve not seen the last of self-doubt, I’m buckling down and willing to go toe to toe.
This article is a small sweet taste of victory. It’s my first to complete and post and that feels victorious. For anyone still reading, thanks bunches for seeing it through!
Prayer: Lord, please give me the tools and strength to overcome my self-doubt and fears so that I may stand firm and be resilient to accomplish the good you desire to be mine. Amen
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