Sunday, May 22, 2016

The Fear Monster and Why I'm Climbing Over It

I think a lot of us spend a good amount of our lives being afraid.  Afraid of what others might think, afraid we can’t pay our bills, afraid of looking stupid, afraid to speak up about the things that are really important to us.  We are afraid of the dark, or afraid of the light, or afraid of really being seen.  We are afraid of being unlovable.  We are afraid to be alone.  We are afraid to make the wrong choice.

I am sure in my lifetime I have had millions of fears.  I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here to say I bet you have too.  My fears lead to thoughts like: there’s never enough, I don’t have support, I can’t do it, my dreams aren’t important, I’m always alone.  Even though I am unaware of it most of the time, these thoughts replay over and over like a tiny tape in the back of my mind.  They are present with every choice and decision I make.  These thoughts and fears have kept me in the status quo of life. 

Recently I took a long hard look at some of my fears and the things I’ve been thinking.  I found scrawled in one of my notebooks, “If I am afraid to succeed and I am afraid to fail, then I am trapped.”  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  I have been letting fear guide my decisions and choices for way too long.  I don’t want to be trapped.  I am ready to move forward even if that means confronting my fears head on.

For about a year I have been using hypnosis daily and love it.  It has completely changed my life, so much so that I want to become a certified hypnotherapist.  I had been looking into different schools and then suddenly the hypnotist I work with decided to open her own school.  It was a dream comes true!  Her style is perfect for me, and something I’d love to teach myself.  I immediately knew this is what I needed to do.  And then the fears set in. 

For two months I went back and forth with myself over whether I would enroll.  The initial exhilaration at this opportunity was slowly consumed by my robotic thoughts: there’s not enough money to do it, you have to put what you want on the back burner and focus on everyone else, it’s just not the time, and you’re never going to do this.  I stated to believe my old thoughts.  I even started to believe that being “stuck” was where I was supposed to be, and then I had a conversation with a good friend that turned it all around.

This friend called me out.  She said I have to stop using my fears as an excuse not to move forward or put myself first, and I had to realize that sometimes I have to ask for help.  I thought about what she said all night long.  By the next morning I knew she was right. I just didn’t know what to do yet.
The Universe provides in surprising ways.  That evening I received an email from the school asking if there was anything they could do to help me get enrolled.  Here is was.  The Universe was asking me to ask for help!  And I did.  Through several emails we worked out a payment plan and made arrangement so I could start in June.  I was thrilled!  Then I was scared shitless.

I had decided that I was going to enroll for the hypnotherapy course, and I was going to make it happen no matter what.  One of the ways I was going to continue asking the Universe for help was to create a GoFundMe.  I had all kinds of fears about asking people to help me pay for my tuition.  “Who do you think you are?”  “People are going to laugh at you.” “No one is going to want to help.” “This is a waste of time.” BUT, I did it anyways.  I looked at those fears and said, “So what.  So what if I don’t raise the money.  So what if people laugh at me.  I am doing this anyways.”  And I did.

I no longer what to feel trapped in the place I am now.  I want to do something I am extremely passionate about.  I want that for you too!  I am just going to keep putting one foot in front of the other.  One day at a time, one step at a time.  One moment at a time.  Until I get there.

If you want to help support my training you can donate here.  Prayers and good vibes are always 
appreciated as well. 

Love and light to you all.





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