Our Soul's Nemesis

Hey Friend,

I'm sitting in a hotel in Portland, OR. I didn't come for the protests. My daughter called a couple months ago and said "It's my senior year fall break, wanna take me somewhere?" The answer is always yes! She randomly picked Portland, since we had never been before. She's been a lot of places, this was not one of them.

It was a fast turn around. I got in from a delayed flight Thursday morning at 3:30am and was back at the airport by 2pm the same day. Flying has gotten nuttier. When we were cruising down the runway to take off, a big POP happened and they slammed on the brakes. I've never had that experience before. It was startling.

An engine had blown right as we were about to lift off. Thankfully we hadn't. It was such an unusual experience a delta representative called every passenger and refunded that portion of the trip. It was traumatic enough that the pilots could no longer fly. I told the Delta rep that last week I wrote about doing things for the first time and this was definitely one.

It was scary after the fact. So many "what-ifs" came to mind once back in the terminal. Our minds are so prone to fear, loss-avoidance and remaining safe that it wants to play there even after the threat has passed. I hate fear. Every single thing about it makes us small, empty and joyless. It's the soul's #1 nemesis.

HIGHJACKING DECEIVER

Fear highjacks our imagination. I love the vastness of our creative, resourceful and inventive minds. Generating an unknown future, interpreting a known present and populating possible realities is such an invigorating, positive experience. We've all been gifted with the ability to dream. At any age, in any scenario we have available the option to imagine wildly. Fear strangles optimism and snuffs out hope.

What exactly is it we're protecting ourselves from when we embrace fear and dance along to it's melody? Failure, hurt, disappointment, being judged, embarrassment, death, uncertainty, criticism, loneliness, rejection, lack, exposure or our not-enoughness? Isn't it something that we experience all those things regardless? Fear is not a useful, helpful friend, but a deceiver of our potential.

The very thing fear purports to protect us from is literally what it perpetuates!

MINDSHIFT

What if you created a list of everything you fear and made a two column response? One for if it happened and the second for if the opposite happens.

COURAGEOUS FAITH

I love faith. The willingness to assert enthusiastic positivity about a difficult present or an unwritten future. It can be interpreted as naive or unrealistic, but the truth is it's simply a belief. Ironically, fear is also a belief. It positions itself as more logical, whereas faith appears less reasonable. Why is that? Human nature's default disposition for security favors fear, but faith actually offers more stability and freedom.

The lens of faith allows us to interpret life differently. Courage enables us to act on that interpretation. Mustering resolve and determination in light of opposing facts is a choice. Daily bravery requires commitment that is tiring. At least with faith, we can be replenished. Fear is exhausting and depletes us, with no restoration.

MINDSHIFT

What if you created statements of faith that oppose the trajectory of fear?

LOVE & FEAR

Our two fundamental motivations in life are love and fear. They cannot co-exist together. I am loved. I love. When we settle on those two truths, we position ourselves to be established in hope. It's an interesting exercise when fear is present and pronounced to ask ourselves: Where am I lacking love? What if faith isn't so much a belief about a better tomorrow, but more an acceptance of being loved today?

Is there anything more secure than being engulfed in the love of another?

Fear is a diabolical proposal, inviting us to make it's offer a reality. Don't do it. Fears suggestions for preserving our safety only incarcerates our peace. Be liberated by faith through love.

SHIFTING

I hope this week you believe the good, are rooted in love and choose courage to act as if faith is as real as fear. It is. #ShiftAway