Due To Circumstances Beyond Our Control - Fear

Due to Circumstances beyond Our Control - Fear

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t—you are right. —Henry Ford

OF THE THREE—fear, uncertainty, and doubt—fear is probably the state of mind that most often keeps us from living to our full potential and with joy. Living in fear and living intentionally are mutually exclusive.

What you and I fear, of course, are different, but I bet we share at least a few things that degrade the value of our days.

Do you ever fear you will fail?

Let’s start with a big one. You’re so afraid of making a mistake that you won’t even try something new. Even if you’ve never really experienced a huge, ugly, embarrassing failure, you’re still paralyzed. Just the thought of what others will say about you or think of you is enough to make you break out in a cold sweat. If that’s the case, you might be a teensy-weensy bit pessimistic.

I am an eternal optimist. Dr. Dan Baker and Dr. Cathy Greenberg, authors of What Happy Women Know, ask readers to consider who they’d rather have lunch with: Chicken Little or the Little Engine That Could.^a For those of you sketchy on the plot, Chicken Little was a freaked-out, pessimistic bird who was always getting everyone worked up because the sky was falling, even though it wasn’t. That bird did nothing but stir up trouble. In the story of The Little Engine That Could, whenever faced with a big challenge, the little engine told himself, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Now that’s my kind of choo-choo. But my question to you is not who you want to have lunch with. My question is: Whose philosophy will you adopt today?

When I’m in a position of needing to take a risk, I always ask myself, What’s the worst thing that can happen? By identifying, measuring, and working a plan to mitigate my risks, I can move fear aside in order to focus on the incredible opportunity at hand. The plan boosts my confidence.

I don’t believe that a spirit of timidity is a gift from God but instead is something that Satan conjures up in us to keep us from living the abundant life. Are you afraid? Pray for the strength to put Satan’s Chicken Little call in its place.

You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. (Psalm 119:114)

Girlfriends, there is always a chance that our dreams might not see the light of day. But it won’t be the end of the world. We’ll just have paid our dues and become somewhat more interesting.

^a Dan Baker and Cathy Greenberg, What Happy Women Know (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2007).