Are you struggling with Fear?
If you are like most people, including me, I'm sure the answer is yes.
Do your negative thoughts come from you?
If you say yes, I have another question for you.
Who would ever choose to have a negative thought?
I know I certainly wouldn't.
The truth is negative thoughts don't come from you. They come from consciousness. Think of the brain as the hardware. Consciousness is the software. No one has ever found a thought inside a brain. Thought simply activates the brain. Thoughts exist in something like an internet cloud and they are always being downloaded to your brain. It's the same with dreams and nightmares. You don't choose them.
Negative thoughts pop in at random times or, for some, more frequently. They are like an unwanted surprise guest that shows up at your front door to tell you that your future is hopeless and that this is the end of the world. They tell you that you don't have what it takes to make it through this challenging time. They try to convince you that your best days are behind you.
But here's the deal. Like any unwanted surprise guest, you decide whether or not to entertain them. A thought's power only comes from the power you give it. You don't have to give your negative thoughts power. You can ignore them. You can see them for what they truly are: lies, lies, lies.
Always remember that just because you have a negative thought doesn't mean you have to believe it.
Fear is a liar and if you struggle with fear and negative thoughts, it’s because you believe the lies that they tell. Fear stands for
F
alse
E
vidence
A
ppearing
R
eal. Fear looks and feels true but it isn't.
I'm not saying the virus and pandemic we face isn't real. I'm saying we can't let the fear that comes from it become irrational and overtake our lives.
Fear says you aren't strong enough, good enough, successful enough, wealthy enough, happy enough, smart enough, talented enough. Well, I say enough with fear. Instead, know the truth. You have everything you need inside you to be successful. You weren't meant to be average. You have a desire to be great because you were created and born to go great things. You have a purpose. There's a plan for your life. You may be going through a hard time now but you will get through this. It looks like the end of the world but it isn't. This too shall pass.
I want you to know that I too have struggled with negative thoughts and fear this week as well. Every time I watch the news I feel depressed for a few minutes before reviving my hope and belief again. Be careful of watching too much news during this time. It can overwhelm and discourage you. Ironically the more it does, we return to it like a drug seeking to feel better only to feel worse. Use the media for information but then shut it off for your mental health.
And when fear and negativity pop in your head you can ignore them or speak truth to the lies. That's what I do and I was thrilled to hear that’s what the singer Jewel does as well. I was recently listening to an interview she did where said she makes a list of all the lies fear tells her. Then she writes down the truth next to the lies. She said it has given her a lot of power and freedom.
It can do the same for you. There is a tremendous amount of freedom in knowing that negative thoughts are not coming from you. There's a ton of power in knowing that you don't have to believe the lies. You can know, speak and live the truth and just keep moving forward with belief, optimism, faith and grit.
No matter what thoughts come your way, you have everything you need inside you to get through this difficult time. Thoughts will come and go but you just stay in the game one day at a time and keep moving forward. Don't look to the past. Don't look too far into the future. Do what you can do to make today great!
The truth is, this isn't going to be easy. The truth is, our leaders are going to have to make difficult decisions in the near future to save lives and save the economy. The truth is, we can't control the events in our life, but we can control how we respond. The truth is, we will get through this.
We all know a physical virus can be dangerous, but so can an idea virus. Let's respond to the fear, negative thoughts, panic and uncertainly with positive contagious energy.
Positive energy is contagious too. Share it!
- Jon
