biology-fear-cells-colorful-blue-green-orange

The Biology of Fear

Today I want to talk about the biology of fear and how it affects us. Sometimes fear can be unavoidable, such as when you face a life-threatening situation; for example, encountering a bear during a hike in the woods. Unfortunately, the fear I have observed most in other people is self-perpetuated. They were told by other sources, i.e. the media, relatives, etc., that they should be afraid. For example, they hear on the news that the economy is in a recession and getting worse. They fear they will lose everything even though there are no signs in their lives to show that the recession will affect them. For your improvement and growth, you must learn to live by faith, not fear.

Fear in Biology

Scientists have shown that our bodies are made up of single cells which have combined with trillions of other cells to form the human body. Each cell functions similarly to our bodies; they think, eat, react to stimuli, expel waste, etc. It was first thought that the nucleus of the cell controlled it but studies have shown that the membrane is the actual brain of the cell. It is the membrane that reacts to different stimuli.

The two categories of survival mechanisms our cells have adapted are protection and growth. Cells gravitate toward nutrients and retreat from toxins. Moving toward life-sustaining stimuli characterizes growth and away from life-threatening stimuli characterizes protection. The membrane opens for nutrients allowing the cells to feed but becomes hard and closes in the presence of toxins.

Creating Energy

Scientists have also discovered that the two mechanisms cannot operate at the same time. A cell in protection mode cannot grow. (Lipton, et al., 1991) When cells are growing, they are not only expending energy but also creating it. Living a life of sustained fear (protection mode) inhibits the creation of energy needed to sustain life.

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https://unsplash.com/@halacious

The biology of fear shows that fear creates stress, and the more stress you put on your body, the more cells that shift to protection mode. By eliminating the stress in your life you will bring your body back to a neutral state. Do we want to remain in a neutral state? No, we want to grow and thrive. In order to live life to the fullest and become the best you, eliminating stress is not enough. You must live your life in a happy, loving way that provides you with complete fulfillment. It will stimulate your growth processes. You do this by choosing to live your life in faith and eliminating fear.

Short-Term Fix

The protection mechanism is not designed to be activated for a long time. In the example of encountering a pair, you would experience the threat and activate the flight, fight, or freeze response. Once the bear moves on and doesn’t attack, you would return to normal and have quite the story to tell. Living your life in fear chronically elevates the stress hormones and inhibits your growth as a person.

Individual cells combined into a community react to the prevailing thoughts and beliefs they are fed. We as humans cannot grow as a community as long as a vast majority of people live in perceived fear. An example of this is the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Before the tragedy of 9/11, the U.S. was growing and thriving. After that fateful day, the population was placed in a state of fear. Terrorism took hold, and we waited for the next attack. The population went into protection mode, and growth ground to a halt.

What About You?

The biology of fear is an interesting topic. Do you live by fear or faith? Faith is the only way you can grow and improve your life. Look inside and see what fears are holding you back. Are they perceived, or are they real? What impact do they have on you and those around you? You can control your fears and take your life back. Turn to faith and regain control over how you live. You and only you decide how your life will turn out. The first step is releasing your fears.

“We have nothing to fear but fear itself!”

~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Cites

Lipton, Bruce H. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles. Hay House, Inc., 2016.

https://unsplash.com/@halacious

https://unsplash.com/@nci

What Am I Afraid Of

We are almost to May, and now is a great time to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis and see how far you have come in 2022. When you look at your weaknesses, ask yourself; What am I afraid of? Check if any fears hold you back. Many people overlook a big reason they aren’t moving forward, the fear of success.

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Ask Yourself, What Am I Afraid Of

Take a moment and ask yourself, what am I afraid of? There are many fears which can be reasons for your lack of success. One of the most prevalent fears is the fear of criticism by others. Some people care more about what others think of them than their success. Are you one of them? If so, stop! No one is more important than you.

I have a fear of heights or, a better way to put it, a fear of falling from great heights. Recently, I was able to experience this fear once again. My wife and I went to the Boca Museum of Art to see the Machu Picchu exhibit. There were almost 200 gold and pottery exhibits from the Incan Empire. In addition, there was a virtual reality experience.

My Fear Of Falling

I walked into the room, climbed into a pod, sat down, and put on my VR headset. After some brief instructions, I was standing in Machu Picchu. An Incan spirit guide appeared before me, and it all began. Next, we were given the power of flight by the Condor God and began rising above the great city. It happened so quickly that my fear of heights immediately kicked in.

It is incredible how real it seemed. I was not a few feet off the ground but thousands of feet in the air. Of course, this was all in my mind. In reality, my feet were only about a foot off the floor. I had to control my fear and keep telling myself where I was. Soon, my fear was under control, and I was enjoying my time flying above Machu Picchu.

what-afraid-machu-picchu-sunny-day
https://unsplash.com/@agnieszkam

The Fear Of Success

My definition of success is making the most out of gifts you are given at birth in your lifetime. One thing that can hold you back is the fear of success. You might not even realize this fear exists in you. How can you be afraid of the one thing you strive to become? For example, many people would like to become famous, but their lives would have to change to do so. The brain is resistant to change, therefore; you have a fear of success.

The fear of success is powerful and deceptive. It can take the form of procrastination and excuses. If you are successful, you would have to establish another level of comfort. A promotion at work could mean more responsibility. Your fear of success in your mind could sabotage this goal.

What Fears Do You Have?

Whatever fears you have are created in your mind. You can learn to control your mind and also control your fears. Learn to make peace with your fears instead of trying to eliminate them from your mind. As many times as I have jumped out of airplanes and flown in helicopters, I still cannot eliminate my fear.

What am I afraid of? A few things, but I have control over them. Take control of your life and go out and get what you deserve. Never let any fears get in your way of accomplishing your goals. By being honest with yourself, you can see if you have the fear of success. Once you have identified it, you can control it like you can control all your fears. Nothing can stop you!

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@russ_jay

https://unsplash.com/@agnieszkam

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Fear And Self-Doubt

Fear and self-doubt. If you have read my story, you know that I lived with fear and self-doubt for 47 years. It was my inner turmoil despite all the achievements I had made in my life. It took battling cancer to begin to be my true self; a confident and fearless man.

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Controlling Fear And Self-Doubt

When I was younger, I focused on the future. The future is filled with anxiety and doubt. It caused me to look at my past which was filled with self-doubt. Everyone was better than me. My life, viewed from the outside, didn’t match what was going on in my head.

Today, I focus on what is happening now. I look inside myself and feel what’s going on. I ask myself, how am I feeling right now? If I experience something negative, I want to know how my body is feeling. What does my reaction feel like? Is my heart beating faster? Does my stomach feel like it’s in knots?

Self-Doubt Thoughts

Focusing on the NOW has helped me control and eliminate fear and self-doubt. I understand that those thoughts don’t come for me. They come from other sources. For example, a baseball/softball player walks to the plate to face a great picture. He/she is not thinking they are going to strike out. They are thinking about hitting the ball. They don’t sabotage their at-bat by purposely thinking of the worst outcome. Those thoughts come from outside.

Harold

I call these entities that produce negative thoughts, Doubt Demons. I have struggled with my Doubt Demons in the past. In the last couple of years, I have been able to remove most of them from my head. All except Harold. Harold is rooted in pretty deep. He moved in early in my life and has made quite a home.

Like the old man living on Mount Saint Helens before the eruption, he isn’t leaving. Harold is the annoying roommate. He appears at the worst times and will not shut up. All my bad thoughts, fears, and self-doubts come from Harold.

fear-self-doubt-eggs-painted-faces-funny
https://unsplash.com/@karngraphy

Making Friends

Since it seems I can’t get rid of him, I have made friends with Harold. When he appears, I laugh at his efforts and send him back to his room. Because Harold’s only purpose is to keep me where I am, he has perfected his technique. What Harold doesn’t know is that I have a secret weapon.

Since I have grown spiritually, Harold’s old techniques don’t work anymore. He doesn’t hang around very long when he appears. If he did, he would be destroyed by my faith. Harold and faith cannot exist together.

Darkness And Light

Harold is darkness. To destroy darkness, one has to introduce light. Faith is light. Harold’s technique now is to appear for a microsecond. He appears; I have a brief feeling of doubt inside, and he is gone. That’s all it takes, a microsecond.

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Jesus said, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. How much doubt does it take not to be able to move a mountain? It would be a lot smaller than a mustard seed. Harold knows it only takes one quick thought of doubt to stop me from manifesting change in my life.

It is time for Harold to go permanently. I continue my readings, research, and studies. As I grow spiritually, Harold will eventually have to pack up and move out. I will gladly help him pack his bags and do the duffel bag drag into oblivion. My faith will continue to grow until I become the person I am meant to be.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@monicasilva

https://unsplash.com/@karngraphy

fear-success-woman-black-shirt-kills-dreams

The Fear Of Success

Here we are in December, and the year is quickly coming to an end. Now is a great time to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis and see how far you have come in 2021. When you look at your weaknesses, check if any fears hold you back. Many people overlook a big reason they aren’t moving forward, the fear of success.

Get A Printable and An Editable Planner For Free. The Planner Includes A Gratitude Pad And Journaling Pages. Also A 12 Month Fillable Calendar.

Do You Have Fear Of Success?

Take a moment and ask yourself, what am I afraid of? There are many fears which can be reasons for your lack of success. One of the most prevalent fears is the fear of criticism by others. Some people care more about what others think of them than their success. Are you one of them? If so, stop! No one is more important than you.

My Fear Of Heights

I have a fear of heights or, a better way to put it, a fear of falling from great heights. Recently, I was able to experience this fear once again. My wife and I went to the Boca Museum of Art to see the Machu Picchu exhibit. There were almost 200 gold and pottery exhibits from the Incan Empire. In addition, there was a virtual reality experience.

I walked into the room, climbed into a pod, sat down, and put on my VR headset. After some brief instructions, I was standing in Machu Picchu. An Incan spirit guide appeared before me and how it all began. Next, we were given the power of flight by the Condor God and began rising above the great city. It happened so quickly that my fear of heights immediately kicked in.

It is incredible how real it seemed. I was not a few feet off the ground but thousands of feet in the air. Of course, this was all in my mind. In reality, my feet were only about a foot off the floor. I had to control my fear and keep telling myself where I was. Soon, my fear was under control, and I was enjoying my time flying above Machu Picchu.

fear-success-man-vr-headset-toggles
https://unsplash.com/@minhphamdesign

Deinition Of Success

My definition of success is making the most out of the gifts you are given at birth in your lifetime. One thing that can hold you back is the fear of success. You might not even realize this fear exists in you. How can you be afraid of the one thing you strive to become? For example, a lot of people would like to become famous but their life would have to change to do so. The brain is resistant to change therefore you, have a fear of success.

The fear of success is powerful and deceptive. It can take the form of procrastination and excuses. If you are successful, you would have to establish another level of comfort. A promotion at work could mean more responsibility. Your fear of success in your mind could sabotage this goal.

Created In Your Mind

Whatever fears you have are created in your mind. You can learn to control your mind and also control your fears. Learn to make peace with your fears instead of trying to eliminate them from your mind. As many times as I have jumped out of airplanes and flown in helicopters, I still cannot eliminate my fear.

Take control of your life and go out and get what you deserve. Never let any fears get in your way of accomplishing your goals. By being honest with yourself, you can see if you have the fear of success. Once you have identified it, you can control it like you can control all your fears. Nothing can stop you!

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@trastornada13

https://unsplash.com/@minhphamdesign

Comfort Zone

The other day I was thinking about those psychological barriers we put on ourselves called comfort zones. Those areas or events which we feel good when we are there. The comfort zone is our safe place. It is where we feel warm and fuzzy. Nothing can happen to us when we are in our comfort zone.

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Your Comfort Zone

For most people, their comfort zone is their home. You feel safe and comfortable inside your home. You can control what goes on there. On the other hand, if you leave your home, you lose control. When you walk into a building you have never been inside, you can feel nervous and uneasy. That warm and fuzzy feeling inside is no longer there. Your senses are heightened because you are outside of your comfort zone.

You create your comfort zone in your mind. It is a mental boundary you have created based on your past experiences. Everyone has a different one. Some are small, and some are quite extensive. Some people are only comfortable inside their homes, but not everyone. If they relate their home to previous bad experiences, it will not be comfortable for them.

The Mind

Your brain is designed for survival and to keep you safe. It creates these boundaries based on your experiences. Negative experiences as a child manifest as fear. Those experiences would become fearful to you and would be outside of your comfort zone.

That is all your comfort zone is, boundaries. Your mind has created these boundaries to avoid the fear that you manifested. You are born with only two fears. The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All other fears you manifest and all fears can be controlled.

Expanding

If you decide to expand your comfort zone, it is a painful process. You have to overcome years of boundaries formed in your mind. Your fears will have to be faced, but you can do it. An excellent way to describe your comfort zone is to think about a dog and an electric fence.

comfort-zone-man-bike-looking-back-your-comfort-zone-will-kill-you
https://unsplash.com/@marvelous

Wildlife

When my wife and I were in Colorado, I noticed our friends’ neighborhood had no fences to separate the properties. In Florida, almost everyone builds fences around their property. I inquired as to why they did not build fences. The reason is that they have herds of elk, deer, and even the occasional bear wandering through the neighborhood. Therefore, the HOA outlawed fences.

Shocking

Our friends have two large dogs, so they put an underground electric fence as a boundary. The dogs can run around the yard, but if they try to leave they get a mild electric shock. This teaches them how far they can go. Inside the underground fence is the dog’s comfort zone. It becomes painful when they try to go outside of this boundary. You are no different. You have created a boundary that becomes painful when you go outside it.

The dogs manifest a fear of the edge of the property. When they try to leave, they feel the discomfort of the collar and go back to their comfort zone. They are happy in there. This area is their warm and fuzzy place.

Expanding Their Horizons

What happens when one dog decides they want to expand their horizons and leave? Maybe the dog is a male and sees a beautiful female dog a few houses away. First, they would slowly approach the edge, receive the shock, and jump back. Their desire to meet this female is strong. Instead of going back to their comfort zone, this time the dog stays and tries again.

Each time they receive the shock, it gets less painful. The dog is becoming comfortable being uncomfortable. With each try, the dog gets farther and farther until they break free of the pain. They now have new areas to explore and sniff. New experiences are waiting for them, along with the female dog.

Painful?

Was it painful? Yes! Why didn’t they go back to their comfort zone? Because their reason for wanting to get out of the yard (the female) was bigger and more powerful than the pain. As a result, they expanded their comfort zone.

If your reason for wanting to change your life is larger than the pain of leaving your comfort zone, you will do it. Slowly begin doing the things you are not comfortable doing. Try to do it a little at a time and the pain and discomfort will diminish. You will be expanding your comfort zone. You might even break free of it altogether.

Self-improvement is painful. You have to face your fears and deal with the past; your past has shaped you into the person you are today. You have the power to improve your future. Break out of your comfort zone for yourself and your family. Start doing those little things today!

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@kronemberger

https://unsplash.com/@marvelous

gloom-despair-agony-man-hands-on-head-thinking

Gloom Despair And Agony On Me

Gloom, Despair, and Agony on me. How those words brought back a lot of great memories. I used to watch a TV show with my mom and dad back in the 70s called, Hee Haw. It was a show with country comedians and musicians that would perform various skits. One of those skits had two performers singing the song Gloom Despair and Agony on me. Then they would say something funny about their trials and tribulations. They would repeat the song until another funny story. This was one of the funniest skits and it makes me laugh today thinking about it.

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Gloom And Despair

2021 has not been kind to me. Nope, not one bit. Most people couldn’t wait for 2020 to end. I for one wouldn’t mind going back. Yes, this is me, the guy that’s always talking about moving forward. I am that guy but I would gladly rewind the clock and go back a year.

Why you say? Well, I’ll tell you. It seems as if Life has put me in her crosshairs since the beginning of the year. I have taken blow after blow after blow. Every time I overcome one punch and think things are getting better, she throws an uppercut. Hits me right on the chin. It has been so bad I began to feel despair. The words to that song flooded my brain, Gloom Despair and Agony on me.

Despair Defined

Despair is defined as loss of hope; a cause of hopelessness. This is what I was feeling just the other day. People have called me a lot of different things in my life. The one thing no one has ever called me was a quitter. So I fought on with every weapon I had. I wasn’t losing ground but I wasn’t gaining any either.

So as I continued to take punch after punch, bad news after bad news, I began to wonder what was coming next. Luckily I don’t ever take on these battles alone. I have my family, my friends, and God. On one particularly bad day, I went to bed and as I always do I picked up a devotional guide, Feeding On Jesus by Jennifer Arimborgo. Jennifer is a wonderful person who is a missionary in the Amazon Jungle in Peru. Her website is feedingonjesus.com.

Devotionals

The devotional I turned to that night was Isaiah 35:4, “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.’” I immediately was lifted out of my despair. God knows when you’re feeling hopeless and places hope in front of you.

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https://unsplash.com/@anakin1814

I knew right then that everything was going to be okay. In the words of Rocky Balboa, “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.” I knew I had to take the hits and keep moving forward.

Control

I can’t control what life throws at me. Neither can you. Two things I can control are my attitude and effort. I can control my thoughts and not give in to despair. I believe and have faith that things will turn around. Some situations are too big for you and me to handle. These are the ones I turn over to God.

Persevere

There have been several times in my life that I have sailed through troubled waters. Each time God has sent me a sign to tell me he is there and everything will be all right. I am lucky I have this great team of family, friends, and God. Together we can get through any storm. Because of them, I have been able to persevere through the difficult times in my life.

Even though this year has been a struggle for me, I know there are better times ahead. The years to come will be filled with difficulty but also with much happiness. Whatever life wants to throw at me in the future, I’m ready for it. I have God by my side. In the end, the good times will far outweigh the bad.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@jeremyperkins

inspirational-quotes-faith-FEAR

Quotes About Overcoming Fear With Faith

If you have been following some of my blog posts, then you are familiar with the term faith over fear. Faith is what gives me the confidence that I can handle any situation. Faith gives you the confidence that everything will turn out alright. You know that it will work out in your favor. Therefore, you don’t worry about any negative things that happen along the way. Faith is what keeps those irritating “Doubt Demons” locked in their little dark spaces. No matter how bad things are today, you know that tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow can be the day when things take a turn for the better. These quotes about overcoming fear with faith will help you conquer all obstacles in your journey to self-improvement.

“Fear has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’ The choice is yours.”
~ Zig Ziglar

What you fear is what you must conquer.
~ Lailah Gifty Akita

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“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
~ Nelson Mandela

Fear vs Faith Quotes

Faith builds your confidence. Fear tears it down. To accomplish great achievements you must carry faith with you. As you begin a new venture it can seem overwhelming, almost impossible. To turn it into a reality you will need confidence in yourself and everyone helping you. Everything is possible with faith. In 1969 we sent three astronauts to the moon. Two of the astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin actually landed and walked on the moon. Michael Collins flew the command capsule. This was a phenomenal feat. When they were given the “green light” to launch in July 1969, many scientists and experts thought we were years away from being ready. It took a lot of faith and confidence from the astronauts, engineers, scientists, and mathematicians to proceed on this historic event. In fact, experts only gave them a 50 percent chance of making it back alive.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
~ Deuteronomy 31:6

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”
~ Rosa Parks

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Faith vs Fear, It’s Your Choice

If the people that were involved in the moon landing had focused on their fears, that event would have never happened. Faith and fear are the same things, a choice. You can choose fear and do nothing or you can choose faith and accomplish great things. Fear will keep you right where you’re at, in your comfort zone. Faith will give you the confidence to control your fears and succeed. When you make that decision to change your life, see the outcome that you want, and have faith that it’s going to happen. Does that mean there won’t be obstacles along the way? No, but faith will get you through them. Focusing on your fears will have you turning around and going back to your old, comfortable life.

“Do the thing we fear, and death of fear is certain.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it… that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.”
~ Dale Carnegie

Changing and making the decision to improve your life is hard. You will encounter doubts and fears. I pray that these quotes about overcoming fear with faith will help you conquer all obstacles in your journey to self-improvement. Listen to the podcast above where I go more in-depth on faith vs fears.

Defeating The Fear Of Criticism – Episode 4

Welcome to my podcast, Defeating the Fear of Criticism – Episode 4.

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Fear Of Criticism

How do you value other people’s opinions? Are you caught up in the way someone else makes you feel? Can what someone says to you determine if you can have a good or bad day? If so, listen to these words carefully. I don’t give a flying rat’s ass what other people think of me. I know that I’m a good person and that I treat others in the same manner as I would want them to treat me. It has no effect on me what other people think of me or if other people don’t believe that I will accomplish what I set out to do.

I learned this lesson a long time ago. When I was a child growing up I had lots of friends and thought that everyone liked me. However, I found out that some people didn’t like me and I never did anything for them to feel that way. As a result, I realized then that some people are just going to like you for who you are and some people are not going to like you for who you are. That doesn’t change who you are. You are you, no one else, embrace it.

I hope you enjoy Episode 4: Defeating the Fear of Criticism.

“You create your own universe as you go along.”
~ Winston Churchill

Final Thoughts

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All Aboard!!

“This Train Is Moving on, You Can Get on, You Can Get off, But the Train Keeps Moving on! We Are Going to the Top of the Mountain!”

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Quotes on Faith To Keep You Moving Forward

Going through some of my old posts, I came across one I wrote early on about the anxiety that the current pandemic has caused. I believe anxiety is predominantly caused by the unknown. You don’t know what life is going to be like in the future. Is this just a snapshot of what is to come? Will we have to wear masks and continue social distancing for years to come? Will this virus mutate into something more deadly? All these unanswered questions can create fear and panic within you. How do you handle the situations that occur in life? I hope these quotes on faith will keep you moving forward.

 Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.
~ Steve Jobs

Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.
~ Khalil Gibran

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It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself.
 ~ Muhammad Ali

Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.
~ Elisabeth Elliot

Faith Quotes For Growth

If you have been following some of my blog posts, then you are familiar with the term faith over fear. Faith is what gives me the confidence that I can handle any situation. Faith gives you the confidence that everything will turn out alright. You know that it will work out in your favor. Therefore, you don’t worry about any negative things that happen along the way. Faith is what keeps those irritating “Doubt Demons” locked in their little dark spaces. No matter how bad things are today, you know that tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow can be the day when things take a turn for the better.

50/50 Chance They Would Die

Faith builds your confidence. Fear tears it down. To accomplish great achievements you must carry faith with you. As you begin a new venture it can seem overwhelming, almost impossible. To turn it into a reality you will need confidence in yourself and everyone helping you. Everything is possible with faith.

 There are many talented people who haven’t fulfilled their dreams because they over thought it, or they were too cautious and were unwilling to make the leap of faith.
~ James Cameron

In 1969 we sent three astronauts to the moon. Two of the astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed and walked on the moon. Michael Collins flew the command capsule. This was a phenomenal feat. When they were given the “green light” to launch in July 1969, many scientists and experts thought we were years away from being ready. It took a lot of faith and confidence from the astronauts, engineers, scientists, and mathematicians to proceed on this historic event. Experts only gave them a 50 percent chance of making it back alive. Now that’s faith and it led to the famous quote below.

 You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
~ Mahatma Gandhi

July 20, 1969

Faith vs Fear

If the people that were involved in the moon landing had focused on their fears, that event would have never happened. Faith and fear are the same things, a choice. You can choose fear and do nothing or you can choose faith and accomplish great things. Fear will keep you right where you’re at, in your comfort zone. Faith will give you the confidence to control your fears and succeed. When you make that decision to change your life, see the outcome that you want, and have faith that it’s going to happen. Does that mean there won’t be obstacles along the way? No, but faith will get you through them. Focusing on your fears will have you turning around and going back to your old, comfortable life.

God, our Creator, has stored within our minds and personalities, great potential strength, and ability. Prayer helps us tap and develop these powers.
~ A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.
~ Voltaire

An Inspirational Woman

I recently read a blog post that I will link here. I found this post both powerful and inspirational. This young lady has been through financial struggles and just recently got a good job that she enjoys. She is grateful for everything she has but has been thinking about also starting a business. Being grateful is a key factor because if you are not grateful for what you have, how do you expect to be rewarded with something better. I found it inspirational because she set a goal (employment) and conquered her obstacles (financial struggles). She climbed to the top of the mountain but is now seeing a larger mountain to climb. I believe she will tackle this goal with faith, conquer her fears, and do very well.

My faith helps me understand that circumstances don’t dictate my happiness, my inner peace.
~ Denzel Washington

 Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.
~ Charles H. Spurgeon

6 Basic Fears

There are many fears in our minds. The six basic fears that will cause you to fail are:

  1. Poverty
  2. Criticism
  3. Ill Health
  4. Loss of Love
  5. Old Age
  6. Death

Focusing on the fear of poverty will only bring you more debt. Instead, have faith that your financial struggles will end. This will bring about ideas on making more money, getting a promotion, etc.

The fear of criticism is what stops most people from changing their lives. You can be so afraid of what people will think and say about you that you will never begin to change your life. If you are scared of criticism then you value others’ opinions more than you value your dreams. Have total faith in what you are doing.

Fear of contracting COVID 19 has stopped many people in their tracks. Especially at the beginning when many people didn’t want to or couldn’t leave their house. I can understand that. This virus is real and people have died. Have faith that we will beat the disease and return to our normal lives. This will allow you to move forward and accomplish your goals. It will provide you with the inspiration you need to find a way to succeed.

 Worrying is arrogant because God knows what He’s doing.
~ Barbara Cameron

 Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.
~ Helen Keller

The Negativity Focus

How do you continue or begin to have faith when we are constantly surrounded by fears. We are inundated with negativity every day. The media focuses on negative news more than positive news. Why? Negative news plays on your fears. Fears equal viewers and viewers equal money. The media plays on your fears to keep you watching. If you don’t believe me, live in Florida during hurricane season. If one computer model out of 50 shows it making landfall, that’s the one they focus on.

Staircase

From Fear To Faith

Building your faith is a matter of changing your mindset from negative to positive. A positive mindset is a growth mindset. It doesn’t focus on fears, only on faith. Speaking positive affirmations every day will grow your mind. You will replace all your fears and self-doubt with faith and self-confidence. Everything that you hear or say is taken in by your conscious mind and you believe it. If all you hear is negative information about the world that is what you will perceive as reality. Positive affirmations will change your thoughts which are stored in your subconscious mind. Anything you picture in your mind your subconscious will turn it into a reality. Therefore, it is only through positive affirmations and visualization that you can control your fears and change your life. Here are some examples.

  • I deserve all the great things that happen to me.
  • My body is healthy.
  • Abundance flows to me because I am open to receive it.
  • I am moving forward and becoming better every day.
  • I have great relationships with all my family members.
  • My businesses are successful and allow me to help many people.
  • I treat people with kindness and joy.

These are just a few examples and you can tailor your affirmations to your situation. Remember to be grateful for what you have and give thanks every day. Always repeat your daily affirmations with love and joy. They must come from a happy place in your mind.

 To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don’t grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead, you relax and float.
~ Alan Watts

Final Thoughts

Are your fears holding you back? Are you going to live with a negative fearful mind or a positive mind full of faith? Do you believe you have a growth mindset? If you haven’t joined my email list yet, click on the blue-button above. You will be able to receive my newsletters, e-book, courses, etc. You can find everything you need to grow your self-confidence.

All Aboard

“This Train Is Moving on, You Can Get on, You Can Get off, But the Train Keeps Moving on! We Are Going to the Top of the Mountain!”

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Choices

We have choices to make every day. Do we get out of bed now or do we roll over and go back to sleep? Do we pick up our phone as soon as we wake up or look at it later? What are we going to wear? What are we going to have for breakfast? We are inundated with choices that we have to make every day. In my blog titled, Anxiety (COVID-19), I wrote about the current situation that we are facing today and how that has created choices. We have a choice between faith and fear. I will always choose faith over fear. I see and hear people every day that have chosen fear. I can understand given the information that we are being fed why they chose fear. A lot of choices that we make in life are based on the information that we have been fed. If you are being told that wealthy people are just lucky and if you are not wealthy, then it is because you are not lucky. You do not believe that you can change because you believe luck is something you either have or do not have.

The truth is that wealth has nothing to do with luck and has everything to do with a willingness to change as well as the choices that you make. The Internet has created incredible opportunities for people to make money. There are people that make a lot of money posting videos of themselves. They made a choice to make a business out of posting videos. They found a niche and they spend hours shooting, editing, and uploading their videos. The vast majority of people have chosen just to watch videos of other people and spend hours doing so. One of the things that I tell people is; that you can make money online or you can watch other people make money online. It’s simply a choice that you make, but it also requires you to change.

The first step to making a decision to change is simple, you have to look inside yourself. Write down everything that you do during a normal day. The next day, read what you have written down. These are the habits that have gotten you to where you are now in life. If that’s where you want to be and you are happy then continue doing these things. If you are not where you want to be in life and want more out of it, then you have to change these habits. My advice, if you’re looking for a place to start, is to read or listen to books about the habits of people you would consider successful. Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a great book to start with. Successful people become successful not out of luck, but through their daily habits. If you want more out of life, ask yourself if you are willing to change. If the answer is yes, then there is no better time to start than now.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

  • Albert Einstein

Take your list of daily habits and review it to see which ones are holding you back. Compare them with the habits of your chosen successful people and write down your list of new habits that you are going to start developing today. Remember that it took you years to develop the habits that you have now and will take some time to develop new habits. If you stick to your new habits on a daily basis, before long, they will become your everyday life. Get ready for a new you. You might find that you are dressing better, eating better, sleeping better, and overall accomplishing everything you want to do.

I write about this in almost every one of my blogs and particularly in my last post titled The Power of Words, but for me, it’s so important that it needs to be said again and again. The number one thing I teach people is to always remember WHY you started something. WHY did you start that business, begin that relationship, want to lose weight, etc. Changing old habits is not easy. You might have been doing some of these habits for decades. We as humans tend to do things that are comfortable. Old habits are like a warm blanket, wonderfully comfortable. We are constantly pulled back to that warm blanket. New habits can be uncomfortable to tackle at first. When you feel yourself being pulled back to that warm blanket, you must think of WHY you wanted to make that change. By continually working on your new habits daily, they will then become your new warm blanket.

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The big question that you have to ask yourself is, “Am I willing to change in order to succeed?” Success just like faith and fear is a choice. If you choose to be successful and are willing to change your habits to do what successful people do, then you can live as successful people live. There is an unlimited amount of wealth but only a small percentage of people tap into it. The reason most people are not wealthy is that only a small percentage make the choice. They change their habits and are willing to do everything necessary to become wealthy. The universe will supply abundance for everyone. It’s not for just a select few, it’s for all of us, but you have to be willing to change in order to receive it.

What are your daily habits? Are you willing to change those habits? What is your WHY? Are you willing to take what life throws at you, shrug it off, and keep moving forward? Do you want to make money online or watch other people make money online? Don’t stand on the sidelines, put on the pads, buckle up your chinstrap, and get in the game. You are a winner, now go win.

Do you make good choices? I would love to hear your comments on habits that have made you successful. What are some habits that might be holding you back? If you like this post, click the little star below.

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