by GG of AllTheManyLayers
I have all kinds of irrational fears.
I'm not good enough, smart enough, strong enough.
I can't focus long enough to complete a big project.
I can't handle having lots of money.
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I annoy people by being who I am.
If I don't hurry up, someone else will do what I want to do and they'll do it better.
If I'm hugely successful, people won't like me.
I can't handle criticism.
If I keep raising the bar, I won't be able to sustain it.
If I fulfill my purpose in life too soon, will I die?
What if I die before before I finally get my life together!!
Drama, I know. I could go on and on. Misuse of imagination. Worst case scenarios. These thoughts steal my creativity and trigger anxiety, nervousness, jealousy, confusion, lack of motivation, uncertainty, procrastination and self-sabotage.
Make your own list of fears and then ask yourself, Are these statements true? How do I know they are true? Where do these thoughts come from?
And most importantly...
Do these thoughts make me feel stronger or weaker? Who could I be or what could I do if I didn't believe these things? What if I strategically practiced ways to change these thoughts to ones that empower me?
Have you ever considered that you could change your mind? Prove yourself wrong? All you need is a WHY. To start, your WHY may be as simple as knowing that you want to give yourself a different experience.
What would it take for you let go of your fear and learn to ignore it? And if you did, how could your life change?
Writing has been my vehicle to overcoming fear.
When I'm scared, I stare that fear in the face by writing about it -- turning it upside down and all around and flipping it into something productive that I can work with and use to inspire myself and others.
All the miracles and changes that have happened in my life over the past few years were first ramblings and scribbles written in my journal and on my blog. Through tears and worry and fits of obsession, I wrote my way through transformation and that is how I plan to make art and thrive for the rest of my life.
If this post is hitting home & you love writing like I do and want to make it a bigger part of your life -- a creative outlet, a self-discovery practice or a livelihood -- there is still time to join me and dozens of women like you in the Words That Move online writing workshop which is starting on April 20. All the details are here.
P.S. In case you missed it, on Wednesday night, I hosted a free creative coaching call on ways to overcome writer's block and revive and enhance your writing process. You can get the replay details here.