What are you afraid of?
Ask yourself this: What would I do with my life if I wasn't afraid?
What was your answer?
Whatever it was, you're not alone. I will boldly say that most people are not living their best lives because they are afraid. We all have different fears. Some are afraid of death, being alone, failing, disappointing others, or not being good/pretty/funny/intelligent enough.
I used to be that person too. I used to care what others thought about me so much that I would rarely step out and have fun. What if they laughed at me? What if I didn't do it right? What if they thought I was ugly?
So, I stayed on the sidelines of life and watched others enjoy theirs.
A friend once said to me, "Doesn't it feel amazing to be free from the opinion of man?"
It was like an explosion went off in my mind and heart! I had been told my whole life it didn't matter what others thought, but I never believed it! Ever so simply reworded, this "new" perspective changed my life from that moment forward! I now KNEW others' opinions of me didn't matter. The only opinion that did was God's, and he's crazy about me!
It was so freeing to finally not worry about what others thought! Then it hit me, what do I think about myself? What I FEEL must be true, right? After all, they're MY thoughts. A wave of depression came over me.
All the negative thoughts went running through my head. You're not worthy. No one will ever want you. You're fat. You can't run a business; you can't even provide for your son. I started to believe all of it. Finally, I asked myself, why do I even bother?
I later found myself talking with my dad. I started crying as I told him I wasn't a good mom; I didn't have what it takes to run a business. I even voiced my biggest fear: I would never find a good husband and father for Miles and me.
He asked me if I believed it, to which I replied, "I feel," and before I could finish my thought, he said, "I'm not asking you how you feel. I'm asking you what you believe." Again, I started with, "I feel," and he stopped me. He said, "I want to know what you believe is the truth, whether you "feel" it or not. He continued, "the thoughts that are going through your mind are not yours. They are from your enemy who knows if he can get you to believe you're not worthy, you will give up." He told me to take my thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and speak out the truth.
What he said next stood out to me above everything else. He said, "It doesn't matter how you feel or what it looks like; speak what you desire." The more you speak it, the more natural it will become, even if you don't believe it."
It was yet again such a simple revelation! If we believe all the negative things we say about ourselves, why won't we start believing all the positives we speak about ourselves?
I challenge you to write down all the positives you want to be.
Example List:
1.) Successful
2.) Happy
3.) Beautiful
Even if these are things you do not believe about yourself right now, speak them out! Look in the mirror every day (10 times if you have to!) and say, "I am beautiful! I am worthy! I am successful! I AM NOT AFRAID!
You'll see, over time, these become truth, and you will view yourself differently. You'll have confidence and courage. You'll be happy. Your thoughts towards life will change.
If you've received a vision from God, you need to seize it! Don't waver or put it off any longer. You don't need all the answers to step out in faith and launch into your future!
2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given us a spirit of fear but power, love, and a sound mind.
Psalms 139:14 - I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.