Banishing Insecurties

Insecurities are like roaches. You think they are gone but if you expose a hidden area, they surface.

Some of you have made goals this year. To lose weight; exercise more; manage money better; get out of a negative relationship; go back to school; etc.

How are you doing on those? Did you find the minute you decided to make a change for the better, you ran smack into your giant wall of insecurities or self doubt? Maybe your insecurities came out the mouth of a well meaning friend or a maybe out of the mouth of someone who doesn't wish you well. 

 

In my post "some risks are worth taking", I revealed that I started a business. At the time of the post, I was so happy to be able to fulfill a dream of mine. In fact, two more business opportunities came my way within the first week of launch. I immediately went from an ecstatic "I did it" to a worrisome "what have I done?"

I ended that post saying I wasn't going to listen to all the doubts I had. I listened far too long. But yet there I was again. Listening, watering, and giving too much attention to those doubts.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Roman 7:15 about being disgusted that the things he wants to do he doesn't do and the thing he hates doing, he does. How I can relate!

Why is when we are striving for the things we want most in our lives we can't escape wondering can I really do this? I mean surely God can just take it away, right? Sure, but what will I learn?

I admit, when faced with pressure, conflict, or uncomfortable situations, I have the tendency to retreat! That is my first instinct. The BRAVE lesson I am learning (because I certainly haven't master it yet) is that wanting to retreat and retreating are two different things.

When I feel the desire to retreat, I usually beat myself up for feeling that way...which then adds more pressure...which causes me to want to retreat even further. However, no harm has been done because I merely "wanted to". The harm comes when I actually retreat.

There is an important distinction between the two. I might want to go hide under the covers when life gets to hard, but each time I am BRAVE enough to say I will not retreat, I am banishing my insecurities.

Notice that I titled this post "banishing" and not "banished". Banish means to compel to depart. It is not just semantics. For my grammar loving friends, check this out. The suffix 
" -ing" implies an active on going state. The ending  "-ed" implies completion or something is done.

I am in the active state of compelling lack of confidence and self doubt to depart!



We will NEVER rid ourselves of all insecurities! They are a part of being human. The question is how will we deal with them when they come up.

The more you practice telling your insecurities to "get out" ; "get tha steppin"; "beat it"; "scram" ; "get outta here"; etc, the easier it becomes for you to move past them and on towards your accomplishing your goals!

So how do you actively compel lack of confidence and self-doubt to depart?

• Acknowledge it. Don't deny that you are insecure. That only buries the problem. Admit it.
• Remember. Remember the times you walked in confidence and draw strength from knowing that if you did it once, you can do it again
• Get support. Tell someone you trust about your struggle and ask them to support you through it.

Let's keep up the fight. Though our goals may come and go, the person we become while pursuing our goals lasts forver!

Wholeheartedly me,

Julia