Photo Credit: hownowdesign
If you’re afraid of a future that you dread and you’re paralyzed by it, in addition to falling under the spell of wrongly used imagination, you’re a sitting duck. Inevitably, bad will come. There is no such thing as inaction here, by remaining locked inside your fears you feed them and condition your mind to notice only that which confirms them. As a result, you become incapable of recognizing opportunities and solutions.
By contrast, if you use your fear to motivate you to be proactive, to be open to solutions, to force you out of your comfort zone and into the limitless possibilities that always abound, you make it your servant.
Our most negative experiences and feelings make magnificent servants and tyrannical masters. You have the power to choose, at any moment, to assume power over negative emotion and use it to bring out the very best in you.
The idealist in me would like to tell you that the accomplishments I am most proud of were born of my inherent high motivation and joyful intentions. They weren’t. It took me many years to develop positivity driven motivation. For most of us, and myself still sometimes, we relax and enjoy the sunny days.
The greatest achievements of my life were born of fear, strife, dissatisfaction, dire need, or the white hot motivator, “I must do this to give____________________ (insert name of a person or cause) a better life.”
There is great power in every negative experience, use it.
~ Cynthia
Cynthia, thank you for the motivating blog post. Congrats on finding your own motivational lane towards happiness and success. May you continue to be happy, healthy and wealthy.
"THINK, PLAN, EXECUTE!'
Hi Jawar:
Thank you for reading my post! I wish you continued happiness, health and wealth, too. And yes, I’m thinking, planning and executing!
Cynthia
Boundlessly true, so I'm learning to stop kicking and screaming so much (which I still inevitably do for a day or two), and relax into the changes I am going though a little faster each time.
Hello Jewels:
With the benefit of first hand experience, I am confident in saying that you are a master at this and you don’t even know it! Thank goodness I’m here to point it out. 🙂
Cynthia
"The greatest achievements of my life were born of fear, strife, dissatisfaction, dire need or the white hot motivator"
It makes me think about one of our conversations about the great geniuses (Mozart, Michelangelo and many more) who were motivated by such negative feelings. I now think that indeed you can come from pure Love and have a part of your motivation from darker sides. At the same time.
Embracing your nature entirely is a pathway to the amazing.
Dear Seb:
Thank you for your wisdom. Yes, we’ve discussed this from many aspects. I’m with you.
Cynthia
Hi Cynthia! *waves*
Fear is a huge motivator–unfortunately, it leads many in a negative direction. Learning to use fear (by confronting it) takes a lot of nerve…and a lot of practice, LOL!
Hi Laura!
Your perspective is unique because you’re intimately familiar with the extremes of human behavior. I think I was born to move toward my fears. It was the only way I could imagine being rid of them. I’m so grateful for that instinct because so many fears were phantoms.
Nice to see you again,
Cynthia
Thanks, Nabanita. Nice to see you here.
Cynthia
Vicki:
Indeed! I often find myself saying, I would never want to relive that experience, but I’m grateful for it.
Happy Monday!
Cynthia
Hi, Cynthia!!
You sticks are beautiful. Years ago, I painted many sticks, and they were a great help for me.
Happy forever!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the motivation that I needed this morning!!!
You can either learn through fear or through joy. Usually it is through fear that we MOVE. Reminds me of the line from the song RAINCOAT by Kelly Sweet: "You left me a wreck just like a rusty trombone/But somethings they just sting enough to move you along" a great song. (Check out her video on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyE4LVA5JY0)