Fear is *not* a favorite F word

Fear can be debilitating. Fear of… failure, the unknown, change, making a mistake, saying the wrong thing, getting hurt, causing pain, running out of time, missing out. Regret. The other day, I made a decision, set my plan in motion and, for several hours, I felt at peace about it. Only, when it came time to execute ‘said’ plan, fear seized and held me captive, resulting in an aborted mission. The solution? I must confront my fears, head on, instead of running away from whatever situation I’m facing. Otherwise, I will never be able to make peace with the past and move forward into the present that’s waiting for me to delight in. But this requires courage that I have yet to access, and confidence to trust in the process. It also requires daily positive affirmations that, indeed, I am good enough. And keep in mind: There are no mistakes. Just life lessons. So that’s one fear we can all say goodbye to.

What is your biggest fear?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Road rage and running on empty

In my last post, I talk about slowing down, listening more… and bringing muffins. After that, I merged into the fast lane, full speed ahead. The problem? Road rage. I’ve cut people off (usually those closest to me) and my tank is running on empty. I also question the direction I’m headed and can’t seem to see the forest for the trees. Or, rather, the cacti. Only, I hope once I make it to the top of my mountain, I may glean a better vision for where to refocus my attention and fine tune my course. Because lately my dreams appear fuzzy, unattainable. Maybe even unrealistic. I might just take a break from chasing Someday and allow my passions to take a backseat. This way I can move into the regular flow of traffic and allow the natural rhythm to carry me along without a struggle. Yet what I could really use more than anything? A hug.

When is it time to change the course of your dreams?

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Slow down, listen more… and bring muffins

Rob was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. For years we engaged in small talk at my neighborhood grocery store while he checked out my items. It tickled him when I’d set a 14 pound container of cat litter on the conveyor belt next to 12 rolls of double-ply toilet paper. Eventually, he moved off the registers onto scanning during night shift and our paths didn’t cross again until a few days ago toward the end of his shift. After we smiled and hugged in greeting, he told me about the cancer, the surgeries. The chemotherapy. Two mornings later, we hugged again and I handed him a lunch bag stuffed with tissue paper and a dozen homemade muffins. Often, we might question why certain people show up in our lives, yet it could be as simple as offering kindness. And muffins. I think if we slow down a little, and listen more, we might find our answer.

Do you know someone who could use a hug—or muffins—today?

Image courtesy of Mister GC at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.