Oddly Me

Emotional level: 6

Mental level: 7

TODAY I LEARNED: You’re more likely to become the President than you are to win the lottery.

Does the fear of failure often hold you back? Does it keep you from doing the things you wish you could do? I know that same fear all too well and I overcome it every day. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” While he was talking about the country, I feel like it applies to many other areas of our lives. I hate to break it to you but fear never really goes away. But that doesn’t mean we’re not brave.

Sometimes the one thing you want to do keeps forming in your thoughts. You try to push it away by telling yourself you will never accomplish it, you’re not good enough, or you don’t know enough about the process to get started. Whatever it is that you tell yourself without thinking, don’t let the fear and doubt take hold.

Sometimes the bad thoughts are like second nature to us, so it’s easy to quickly dismiss something and focus on the negatives. If you really desire something or want to do something, go do it. I’m not going to lie to you…it won’t be easy. It will be hard, but it will be worth it, and that’s what counts.

Not everything in life is easy. Few things are when it comes to your dreams. That’s only because you need to work for it to make those dreams happen. It’s possible, so stop telling yourself it isn’t. Working towards it probably sounds exhausting. I know every time I hear that word, multiple negative thoughts come parading my way. However, don’t think about it as the entire process. Take each and every detail step by step and second by second if you have to. Whatever you need to do to make it.

The first step is to figure out what you need to change. I started with my thoughts. Thought replacement is ideal if you want to start doing things differently. For example:

If you get the chance to do something you’ve always wanted, but then realize you need a certain level of experience to do it, suddenly you’re at a standstill. You start telling yourself there’s no way you can make it to that level. You’re not smart enough, it’s too much work, or people won’t approve. No one will take you seriously and nothing will amount to it if you try. After the bombarding thoughts, you shrug it off and push it out of your mind. This leaves you with a strange feeling of melancholy. Instead of letting those thoughts cycle through, think about something more promising.

Ask yourself how bad you want this and then decide it’s worth fighting for. Really look deep within yourself to figure this out. Instead of saying, “I can’t because I’m not at that level”, say, “I can get to that level if I work hard enough.” Believe it’s possible because it is. Change out of that negative cycle of thinking.

Our thoughts make up who we are, so it’s ideal to keep them in check. Thank God mental health is being taken seriously nowadays. I urge anyone and everyone to try the thought replacement technique. It’s really not that complicated. You simply replace the bad thoughts with good thoughts. The only trick is to be mindful about it. If you have to write it on your hand, don’t worry about it. There’s nothing wrong with a little reminder for your mental health.

Blessed Be )O(