“Face Your Fears"
“Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will.” — Suzy Kassem
In this day and age, whether we want to admit it or not, we are all going through something. From financial struggles, family struggles, life struggles, it’s kind of hard to see the end of the road through the fog. But the truth of the matter is, nobody is coming to save you. Nobody is coming to bail you out. You may get a little breathing room but the breakthrough we are searching for is on the other side of the adversity we are in right now. Although it’s hard to stay positive during these trying times, facing our fears is the only way we are going to conquer this demon.
There’s an old quote that says, “you never know how strong you are until it’s your only option.” The weight and magnitude of that quote is heavier than we believe. It’s only when we are staring eye to eye with a storm and the only way to it is through it. There have been times in my life where I didn’t see a way out. Sometimes it required surrendering to the process or fighting tooth and nail to make it out. Regardless of what I’ve been through, out of all the days I thought I wouldn’t make it, so far I’m 100%. If you think about the trials and tribulations that you’ve been through, if you’re reading this right now, you are also 100%.
I mentioned in the last post that compartmentalization has been a word that I’ve seen a lot recently. While others think it’s not healthy to put negative scenarios in the back of your mind, sometimes tucking that bad shit away in the box and tossing the key is a good thing. Steve Harvey said once that if we knew what we would have to go through to get to where we are going, we would probably choose another path. Think about the journey you’re own right now and everything that it’s cost you. Had you known the tab would be this high, you probably wouldn’t have set out on this journey in the first place. But the fact that you bet the house on yourself, it’s all a part of the sacrifice required in order to become the person you want to be.
Life has a funny way of testing your limits. It has a funny way of teaching lessons. Sometimes those lessons come through heartbreak, betrayal, situations not working out the way you thought they would while doing a little cha-cha in the process. The key is finding faith in the journey and keeping your feet moving. Like I mentioned to my cousin the other day, life is very similar to sports because it’s all about keeping your feet moving. The second you stop moving your feet, you can get dunked on, hit-sticked, crossed over and etc. But as long as your feet are moving, whether it’s slow steps or full-length strides, you are still in the game.
When we allow ourselves time to sulk in our own shit and be consumed by our problems, we lose site of the blessings that are right in front of us. When we are holding on to the bad things that people have said and done to us, it is stopping us from reaching our full potential. By facing our fears head on, we are putting that voice in our head to rest. As I’ve said a million times, action is silencing the critic that lives in between our ears. You’re facing depression and want to get out of the slump, find ways to reconnect with yourself. Don’t sit around and allow yourself time to marinate in your problems. That solves nothing. But making the decision to put your best foot forward everyday gives you time to shake that bug and tap back into your true self.
By putting those bad situations in a box and tossing the key, you are regaining your confidence in yourself. By taking in deep breaths and being present in the moment, you are denying your brain time to conjure up scenarios that don’t exist on this timeline. By not letting the things that people have done to you get in the way of the blessings in front of you, you are readjusting your crown and stepping back into your purpose. We all have things we don’t discuss with people. Quite frankly, it’s none of anybody’s business what you’re going through. But imagine making it to where you’re trying to go, battling the things you fight against every day. It’s going to make the success that much sweeter.
Don’t deprive yourself of a good life because of the things that are playing in your head. The past is gone and there’s no time heist to make changes. The future hasn’t happened yet, so there’s no need to worry about tomorrow. The only thing we should be focusing on is making it through today. Cherishing each breath and using our time to our advantage. Truth be told, all the things that you are stressing about right now, is stopping you from seeing your true potential. By being present in the moment, you allow yourself time to feel what’s happening around you. When anxiety strikes, come back to the present. Take deep breaths, make a list of things to be grateful for & watch that pressure go away.
This journey to discovering who we are isn’t an easy road. Because to get cliche for a minute, if it was easy, everybody would do it. The cost of becoming successful, being a doctor, lawyer, scientist, author, podcast host, parent will call for many sacrifices but when we look at the people who have gotten to where we want to be, it’s safe to say that the sacrifice was worth it. Starting today, let’s be more mindful of the company we keep. Not just our physical friends but our mental ones as well. If you find yourself trying to talk your way out of something you really want to do, remember this. If you wait until tomorrow, you will be a day behind but if you start today, 6 months to a year from now, we will be having a different style of conversation.
Battle your demons, take accountability for your missteps, put that shit in a box and toss the key. It’s go time! Face your fears. Don’t let anybody stop you from getting to your destination. Anybody that’s on your corner will be there. If they wanted to help they would. If they don’t then they won’t. Every day, we have to take control and find a way to dig ourselves out of the mess we created. Don’t give up on yourself or the process. Sometimes, life has to shake us up to see if we stand on what we believe in and right now, this is no different. Look your problems face to face and understand that being active in the presence will create a better future.
- SB
