Happy Halloween!
Can you believe October is coming to an
end? I am overwhelmed with how fast this year has flown by! In finishing off
the Friday’s fear series, today’s topic is perfect as we venture into a new
month, and a new focus on the holidays coming up.
Fear of the Unknown.
How many of us have experienced this feeling? Unsure of what the future
may bring, it can sometimes paralyze us. I remember back to when I began to
learn how to drive. I was so scared because it was something that I had never
done before. I was scared to take the driver's ed classes, I was afraid to go
on my first drive with the instructor. It was scary, but it was necessary to do
if I wanted to drive. The same fear tried to approach me when it came to
starting to illustrate and began my Spoonful of Faith. I'm still not sure of
what my future holds, but I know that with Christ I don't have to carry these
feelings. I can give them to Him and trust my future will come out just fine. These are some tips that have helped me overcome this fear, time and time again.
BELIEVING God’s word.
I could quote scriptures at you all day long, but if you don’t believe
them they have no benefit to you. We must know and BELIEVE His word. I have
learned to believe His word through experience. He often teaches me that maybe
I didn’t really believe what I thought I believed. It’s apparent when I face an
issue. The actions I take at that time show me whether or not I truly believe. We
know He gave us power, love and a sound mind, not fear (2 Timothy 1:7). We also
know what worrying about the future does to our spirits and our sanity. That’s
why He tells us not to worry about tomorrow as it will take care of itself.
(Matthew 6:34). The power lies in believing these things.
Understanding that new things
may feel uncomfortable and scary, at first.
One of the most paralyzing things about the unknown that I have
encountered is the thought of not knowing what to do or what the steps are
going to be. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling. We like being in control. We
like knowing how to handle difficult or challenging situations. With my Bossy series, many of you asked me to talk about problems that arise for me. You want
to know what could possibly happen so you can plan for it. But like any new
car, or any new job – you are just never going to have all of the possible
situations worked out. It’s going to feel, well, NEW. It should feel that way
and that uncomfortable feeling is confirmation that you are in a new space. As
you thrive in this new territory, you will gain confidence, and get a little cozier
in it, but it should definitely feel “new’ at first.
Taking my hands off the
steering wheel.
Relinquishing control is tough for me. I like to pretty much have a blue
print ready and waiting for me for everything. When you are approaching a new
season, a new job, and a new relationship – you may be hopeful, but sometimes
not possessing control can make you fearful that things may not pan out the way
you wanted them to. Understanding to truly experience this new venture, you must
be vulnerable to the process – is hard for us. Like I said before it feels
uncomfortable. Many of us don’t want to trust others, so we paralyze ourselves
and never try new things. BUT since we have no way to magically tell the future
and see into what will happen, we have to take our hands off the wheel, trust
God, and put trust in someone else, and go with it.
Using it as a learning experience.
One of the
biggest things that helped me not to be fearful about opening my business was
that at the end of the day, I could say I tried. I could say I got an
experience in being an owner of a business. I could leave with some experience and
knowledge of how to operate or how not to operate. When you begin at a new job,
you don’t know what type of people you will encounter, you are unsure if you
will be able to do everything required of you. All you can do is your best, and
learn from it. If you take that attitude with you, it will take you far.
What tips
and tricks have worked for you when it comes to facing the unknown?
Please
leave your encouragement/words of wisdom below – you never know when it may
help someone!
If you missed the rest of the posts in this series, don't fret I've got them for you:
Fear of Failure
Fear of Rejection
Fear of Loneliness
Have a
beautiful weekend!!
-J
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