Congratulations friends, we made it past Monday! That means today is...National Face Your Fears Day!
You've heard that hogwash about the only thing we have to fear is fear itself; but I say that joker probably didn't say that staring in the eyes of a dog sized tarantula.
We're all afraid of something whether we admit it or not. Oftentimes it's spiders or snakes or heights. The usual scary stuff. Other fears are not so tangible. Alzheimer's, cancer, losing someone we love. Things we have no control over. That to me is the true sum of fear. Having no control on a situation. You can't turn on the news today without hearing some terrible tragedy. Some are very close to home, others continents away; none any less important or tragic than the other.
I have countless fears. I'm scared of water I can't see the bottom of, I'm scared of being eaten alive by a shark, I'm scared of predators and psychotic people taking prey on myself or my daughter, I'm scared of pain. I remember when all those sinkholes started opening up in Florida, I couldn't sleep for like a week because I kept imagining my bed falling through the floor and being sucked into the ground. I had no idea that could even happen until I heard it on the news! There are so many things in this life to be afraid of. These are just a few of mine.
My husband says my biggest fear is stored glycogen. Lol. He'd be right on some level. I am constantly obsessing over my body. Too much fat in the hips. Jeans are always too tight. My butt hangs out of every pair of shorts I own no matter how hard I try to avoid this. And the thing is, I am not excessively overweight at all. Some people scoff when they hear me complain about my body. But years and years of seeing perfect girls on t.v. and seeing super skinny, blonde vixens in the gym has really beaten me down. A lot of times I look in the mirror and see a fat girl. It's sad but it's true. And I know I am not alone in this. I read on psychcentral.com that 80% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. That's almost everyone you guys. I think it's safe to say that this is a major fear for a lot of people, myself included.
Yet when I've had a bad day, I still look to a cupcake for comfort. I have to have sugar in my coffee; Splenda who?? Pizza is probably a food I will never be able to give up.
Point making time. It's ok to be afraid. It's natural. It's what you do about your fears that really determines the hold they have on you. I know this is not cutting edge stuff here but I think it's good to be reminded. Fears can be so crippling, especially when some of your worst ones come to fruition. But today is National FACE your fears day! That doesn't mean go shake hands with a spider (because it may be poisonous) or to jump off a bridge to see how it feels to fall from a great height (because that is just stupid).
But is there something your're not doing because you're afraid? Afraid to go to the gym because your weight is so out of control you feel embarrassed? Scared to take a cruise because you saw Poseidon?
What better day than today to face your fears?!
Fears can be overcome. They may always be scary. But a determined and strong willed person can be even scarier. Don't be afraid to live life because of the risks. Live life because every day is a blessing. No one is promised even the next 5 seconds. Take it to heart. Know that you are better than fear and that you control the happiness of the time you have left. You may not control the circumstances. You may not control the time. But you can make that time worth smiling about.
Oh and in light of face your fears day, I'm signing up at the local gym today. Be awesome you guys!
***Let me know, what are your biggest fears and how do you overcome them?***
You've heard that hogwash about the only thing we have to fear is fear itself; but I say that joker probably didn't say that staring in the eyes of a dog sized tarantula.
We're all afraid of something whether we admit it or not. Oftentimes it's spiders or snakes or heights. The usual scary stuff. Other fears are not so tangible. Alzheimer's, cancer, losing someone we love. Things we have no control over. That to me is the true sum of fear. Having no control on a situation. You can't turn on the news today without hearing some terrible tragedy. Some are very close to home, others continents away; none any less important or tragic than the other.
I have countless fears. I'm scared of water I can't see the bottom of, I'm scared of being eaten alive by a shark, I'm scared of predators and psychotic people taking prey on myself or my daughter, I'm scared of pain. I remember when all those sinkholes started opening up in Florida, I couldn't sleep for like a week because I kept imagining my bed falling through the floor and being sucked into the ground. I had no idea that could even happen until I heard it on the news! There are so many things in this life to be afraid of. These are just a few of mine.
My husband says my biggest fear is stored glycogen. Lol. He'd be right on some level. I am constantly obsessing over my body. Too much fat in the hips. Jeans are always too tight. My butt hangs out of every pair of shorts I own no matter how hard I try to avoid this. And the thing is, I am not excessively overweight at all. Some people scoff when they hear me complain about my body. But years and years of seeing perfect girls on t.v. and seeing super skinny, blonde vixens in the gym has really beaten me down. A lot of times I look in the mirror and see a fat girl. It's sad but it's true. And I know I am not alone in this. I read on psychcentral.com that 80% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. That's almost everyone you guys. I think it's safe to say that this is a major fear for a lot of people, myself included.
Yet when I've had a bad day, I still look to a cupcake for comfort. I have to have sugar in my coffee; Splenda who?? Pizza is probably a food I will never be able to give up.
Point making time. It's ok to be afraid. It's natural. It's what you do about your fears that really determines the hold they have on you. I know this is not cutting edge stuff here but I think it's good to be reminded. Fears can be so crippling, especially when some of your worst ones come to fruition. But today is National FACE your fears day! That doesn't mean go shake hands with a spider (because it may be poisonous) or to jump off a bridge to see how it feels to fall from a great height (because that is just stupid).
But is there something your're not doing because you're afraid? Afraid to go to the gym because your weight is so out of control you feel embarrassed? Scared to take a cruise because you saw Poseidon?
What better day than today to face your fears?!
Fears can be overcome. They may always be scary. But a determined and strong willed person can be even scarier. Don't be afraid to live life because of the risks. Live life because every day is a blessing. No one is promised even the next 5 seconds. Take it to heart. Know that you are better than fear and that you control the happiness of the time you have left. You may not control the circumstances. You may not control the time. But you can make that time worth smiling about.
Oh and in light of face your fears day, I'm signing up at the local gym today. Be awesome you guys!
***Let me know, what are your biggest fears and how do you overcome them?***