Tag Archives: fear

Day 9: The “What If” Mentality

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Those words.  Those two dreaded words.  They are the ones that stop us from taking a risk.  That paralyze us in fear of what could happen. That are the sneaky culprits who steal our joy and adventure.

We let our minds wander, and we start to believe that everything that could go wrong, will go wrong.  But here are some statistics to provide a little bit of perspective:

Did you know that…..

  • The percent of things feared that will never take place is 60%
  • The percent of things feared that happened in the past and can’t be changes is 30%
  • The percent of things feared that are considered to be insignificant issues is 90%
  • The percent of things feared in relation to health that will not happen is 88% {via}
According to these numbers, that means that not many of our worries are actually worth worrying about!  People, there is freedom in that! Freedom to let go of the things that are keeping you from living the kind of life you created for.
It is time to stop obsessing over our worries and fears. One of the problems with the “what if” mentality, is that it either creates a view of God which limits Him, or removes Him from the picture completely.  God puts us in situations that are bigger than us, so that we can learn dependence on Him.  But if we never allow ourselves into those situations, we are not only screwing ourselves, but the people around us as well. God doesn’t need us to do his work, but He wants to use us.  And we are the ones missing out by letting our fears control us.
So stop wondering “What if?”, and start asking “What happens if I don’t?”
:: This post is part of a 31 day series.  To see a list of all the posts, click here. ::

Day 3: How are you living?

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This is me hangliding in the summer of 2008!

Eleanor Roosevelt was a smart woman.  She lived an adventure.  When I saw this quote I knew I had to include it in my 31 days.

If I could put these words into my own, I would say: Living an adventure means taking risks, reaching out and experiencing things outside of the norm.  When we choose these things, our life becomes fuller, and more abundant.

What does this look like?

It could be saying yes to a coffee date with someone you don’t know very well.  It could be spending an afternoon in solitude in a beautiful place, just your thoughts and God.  It could be traveling to a city (or even a different part of your own city!) and getting to know people who seem to be nothing like you. It could be jumping off a cliff into crystal blue water.  It could mean being brave enough to conquer an obstacle you never thought you’d be strong enough to overcome. It might be something big, it could be something small.

The only part of Eleanor’s words that I disagree with is that I don’t believe that these things happen without fear.  I think that fear is a vital part of adventure.  It pushes us and stretches us beyond anything we could imagine. But only if you don’t let it overtake you.

I love the first part of this quote, “the purpose of life is to LIVE it.”  It’s so simple. Are you living your life?  What are some obstacles you’ve had to overcome?

I would love to know the ways you are living your life!  Please leave a comment below and share!

 

:: This post is part of a 31 day series.  To se a list of all the posts, click here.