Discovering the Way Out of Fear – Part Three

Discovering the Way Out of Fear – Part Three

 

I was never the “nerdy” type growing up, but I certainly was one of the many students that felt like a misfit - unwanted and undesirable. As I look back now, it all seems so silly. Yet at the time, it was a true image of how I saw myself. I remember always being afraid the teacher would ask me a question in class that I wouldn’t know. I was constantly thinking, “Please don’t let her call on me.” I was so shy and so sure that everyone could see how incompetent I was -- the feelings of inadequacy rang through my entire body.

 

Have you ever heard the story about the little child whose mother was correcting him, and he said, “I might be sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.” I wish all children during those critical years could learn to “stand up on the inside” – not out of rebellion, but out of a sense of knowing who they are.

 

When I was young, I hated to voice my opinion because I felt sure it would probably be different from the others around me. Being different certainly wasn’t something I wanted to accomplish on purpose, so I tried to keep quiet. Since I wasn’t sure of my own worth, I wasn’t capable of viewing my judgments as valuable. I’ve since learned that we all have something to add to a conversation. No opinion is any less valuable than another.

 

I wonder why God made such a variety of different individuals. Why are some tall, some short, some skinny, and some with a few extra pounds? Why do some people enjoy exploring the scientific realm while others lean toward a more creative side?

 

Why do some of us put such little importance on our own individual differences? Why is Joe’s view so much more valid to Jim than his own is? Why does Emily feel it is her lot in life to let everything that comes out of Sara’s mouth be more important than her own? The answer lies in the way we view ourselves.

 

Okay, so if you’re viewing yourself in the wrong way – what do you do about it? Stand up on the inside! Make a conscious choice to rid yourself of any negative talk that goes on in your own head about who you really are. You know what they say, “Garbage in; garbage out.” If you are filling your heart or mind with negative images of yourself – STOP IT.