Quick Thought: Fear cripples your dreams

These last few weeks, I decided that I am going to follow my dreams. I guess that this is pretty much a talked out topic on this blog. But I have come to the realisation these last few days how hard it actually is. And I felt obligated to talk to you guys about it.

So I decided that I am going to follow my dreams, immediately. Now. And apparently I decided that nothing was going to stop me. And of course I didn't think it was going to be easy, but I didn’t think that this intense fear would overwhelm me. I realised to reach my dreams, you have to start at the bottom. You have to take that step and put yourself out there. So people actually can see you and your talent. And help you to reach your dreams.

So my dream is to be a writer, journalist. Something in that general direction. And the first step is to join my campus’ newspaper. But saying you are going to do something and actually doing it, is very different experiences and very different confidence levels.

But I was actually afraid. Because putting yourself out there is scary. You feel vulnerable. You don’t want to be rejected. And I got these insecure thoughts about not being good enough and doubting yourself. And I thought about what other people would think of me. I thought about how I am being judged by people who do not even know me.

So I turned to the only one who could help me: God. He is always there for us when we need Him. And I did this devotional on living and creating in Him. And I got to a part about fear and doubt. It says that when you fear people more than you fear God, you sin. If you don’t use your talents because you are too afraid, you are sinning. God gave you your talents for a reason. So you can you use them.

Fear is crippling. It can make you lose sight of what is important. It can make you feel like you shouldn’t follow your dreams. Like you should just live your life with a job you probably never wanted. Just because you are afraid.

In hindsight, I realised the only thing actually standing in my way isn’t my crippling fear, but it is me.