Awoken by Adversity

People say the only thing to fear is fear itself, but personally I think that is not altogether true for each individual.  I think it should rather be ‘the only thing to fear is yourself ’, because of the emotions we entertain.  Allow me to elaborate.  The way I see it is like this: fear can present itself in many forms and wear many different faces, each one presenting its own very real and terrifying oppression and it is ultimately how you react to this emotion that becomes the deciding factor of your survival, albeit emotional, mental or physical survival.  I can even go so far as to say that the way you either entertain or take control of the feeling of fear, could very well be the determining factor deciding your own fate in a life or death situation.  I have fears.  You have fears.  We ALL have fears.  We are all flawed and (disappointingly so) only human.  And that’s OK.  What’s not OK is to allow your flaws and your fears to prevent you from doing what you enjoy or becoming the person you were created to be.  I have always been one of those annoyingly, over-confident and bordering on fearless kind of people, believing that fear is but an emotion which we allow to damper our sense of self-security and stealing our joy in life.  That was until I came face to face with a terrifying side of fear I had never encountered before; becoming yet another victim of crime.  It was during that horrific ordeal that I came to a complete understanding of the words, ‘gripping fear’.

   We are all accustomed to some level of fear and one person’s fear is no greater or scarier than the next, as we all get to feel and experience the reality of the emotion for ourselves.  This feeling of fear can be paralyzing or eventually motivating as you learn to grow from the experience.  In essence, all fears are the same.  Your fear could be thoughts about the future or the view of looking down the cold, metal barrel of a gun.  What I have learnt is that it’s OKAY to be scared.  Being scared means you’re about to do something really, really brave.  Fear cannot be escaped.  The only way to escape fear is to go through it, not around it.  What we need to come to terms with is that we are all a little weak.  What we do with our weaknesses is ultimately what makes us strong.  Who we share our weaknesses with is what gives us strength.  I’m sure you are wondering how I managed to reach this conclusion, allow me to explain.  I believe the presence of fear is a sure sign that you’re trusting in your own strength.  I believe that each and every person has an extraordinary power within to overcome difficult challenges.  When you encounter fearful situations, you can either decide to be a victim or an over-comer , a conqueror.   

  Live your life to its fullest.  Dare to be courageous and always choose to be the conqueror and hero of your own story.  Next time you feel fear stopping you, ask yourself, what is it that will make it worth it for you to keep moving forward?  What will give you the strength to get back up again and again and again?  What is on the other side of that fear waiting for you to push through and claim it?  Ask yourself – are my dreams bigger than my fears?  Give yourself permission to dream deeper and bigger.  Don’t accept excuses from yourself and don’t settle for less than your worth.  You are not a victim.  Remember that you are not responsible for who or what is attracted to you, but you are responsible for who or what you entertain and eventually give power to.

Glitter greetings (and all things shiny)

Bohemian B