For years I lived in -- and regularly bought into -- fear-based thinking, reinforced by my environment... by the very water in which I was swimming.
Everywhere I turned, co-workers were unhappy in their jobs, afraid to take the leap into what could be better. Family and friends regularly focused on what happened in their past and allowed that to define their today.
All this negativity and unhappiness was around me, and in turn I too bought into this world, not because I wasn’t strong enough but because I was getting something from it (really? yep…) and quite frankly it was easier. I developed programs and put up walls until control became my trusted friend. Heck! Why not? It felt like everyone around me was doing the same.
Eventually before I knew it I was pushing people out because that was an easier way to get things done, to prevent vulnerability and avoid perceived judgement by others and self. It was easier to be in a place of victim going with the majority flow downstream rather than put some effort to swim upstream.
In truth I got caught up in the day-to-day of “woe is me, nothing is going to change, the world is full of icky so might as well just deal with it”. Ugh. This went on for years as I gave away my power, and lost my joy, my sense of self and my purpose. I didn’t have the energy or tools to counter it.
Truth is we are bombarded at every turn by media scare tactics that trickle through our Facebook news feed, television, radio, family and friends. Many – including me – have a childhood that was filled with interesting negative life circumstances that in many ways might have been out of our/my control… creating the perfect recipe for living in a fear-based place.
In our hearts we know living in / from fear isn’t serving our best selves, and yet it serves a purpose. It protects us from getting hurt again. From failure, let down, judgement, abandonment… just to name a few. I’ll let you fill in your own blank….. What are you protecting yourself from?
One day I woke up and made a choice to swim upstream and put my best self forward.
I began taking an active role in my community by getting involved in system change. I asked for help and went out of my comfort level taking family empowerment and leadership classes. When I exhausted those avenues I reached out for help again and started my journey of re-discovering my finest self through personal development classes that teach mindfulness, love-based leadership, and provide a clear message that I can be part of the problem or I can be part of the solution.
I choose to make a splash that creates a ripple of positivity that helps others swim up the stream to something so much better.
I love being on this side of my circumstances – knowing they are just that and I have a choice every day how I see things – WAYYYYY better than the old fear-based way. Why don’t you join me?!
- by Julie Buick