Today I am going to help you take an objective view of your thoughts. Yes, I am going to help you analyze your fears, and hopefully show you something that will leave you feeling empowered to go back.
What's something you set out to do with vigorous spirit, and eventually stopped? It's okay, but now consider why you stopped?
I can think of different creative projects or passions I went ventured in, my answers are:
I am way behind the person I am next to
It would take too long to get good enough
I didn't know if I would make it
It was too expensive
Do any of those sound familiar to you? For me the biggest one is not knowing if I'll make it. Quite bizarre! When it is asked in a conversation Q&A style, and you are asked:
"Why did you stop?"
"Oh, because I wasn't sure if I would make it."
Exactly....uh who DID know they were going to make it? ( -what does 'make it' mean?)
But regardless, that is just a fear.
You can reflect on big or little things. For example, I can think back to me practicing a specific song, and then stopping. I will ask myself -"Why did I stop practicing?" And my answer is, "Because I didn't know how to make it better".
Well when I put it like that, I can hear you saying all sorts of comments! Well Annie if you don't know how to do something, learn it, ask for help, take a class, google it, etc. But in the moment it is so quick! It is a mere thought of "Oh, I am not doing it. I tried and I don't know what else to do. So I guess I'll stop."
Now I am inviting myself to not stop. That is exactly when I need to out of my comfort zone. How many people don't want to perform a monologue for their acting teacher because it isn't good enough yet? It isn't right? Well that would be me raising both of my hands. Acting is scary for me *unless I feel comfortable with the character and scene* but GUESS WHAT there is zero ways in which I can *feel comfortable with the character and scene* unless I step up and speak up and start.
This tiny change of thought is how I conquer most fears. It's the thought that I KNOW it will be bad. Our minds/egos are so interesting...it's like if I KNOW it is going to be bad, then I don't have to feel bad about it being bad because I knew it was going to be bad.
All of these fears that come up need to be looked at, and then we as human beings must make the choice to press on doing the things that move the car toward the destination goal. No matter how scary it is.
What about the fear, "it will take too long?" That my friend is something you will have to decide. I mean, you cannot learn to speak a new language fluently in a week. Or a month. But....time is going to pass anyway. You can still start to learn it. What about ballet? Well, it depends too on what your goals are, but also what you get out of ballet. I recently discovered that for me ballet is almost like meditation or yoga to me. I love doing it, so even if it 'doesn't get me anywhere' which I know it will because that ballet technique will strengthen me and make me a better dancer, I still love the feel of it!
I invite you to make a list of why you stopped doing something...and see that it is only a fear!
Comments