Todays Affirmation: DO SOMETHING NEW, I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU! Living a life void of challenges leads to feelings of emptiness. It is true difficult challenges often do ignite fear of failure. The possibility of failure is what makes certain endeavors challenging. When we venture into new areas of living outside our regular experiences we are challenged since how we will perform under the new circumstances is yet to be determined, thus it is a challenge and it will demand our concentration and the development of new skills. Many may choose to avoid the associated fear of failing which is inherently associated with the challenge. Their choice will free them of the immediate anxiety but condemn them to live an unfulfilled life in exchange for the immediate payoff of a false sense of security. While the choice to avoid challenges has the appearance of providing security, it is just a mirage. There are no ever flowing springs here. Limiting our growth through avoiding immediate anxiety accumulates over time. As we grow, we are asked to face more and more challenges which requires skills we have chosen not to develop. Failing to develop job skills limits our income, failing to develop social skills limits our social resources, and failing to understand and channel our emotions will lead us off course. The skills and knowledge gained from being open to new challenges becomes the resources we need to face new opportunities in the changing world which we continually face. True security comes from knowing we have the strength, creativity, and courage to face new tasks. Yes it is true we may fail on a regular basis, but we understand that failure is part of the learning process and that failure is only temporary. Unearthing the often hidden belief of needing to be perfect helps us to better approach new and novel experiences. Our childhood and past experiences of failure often come boiling to our emotional surface when we are presented with the opportunity to attempt something new. We become our own harshest critic. Most people understand the learning curve. They understand that entering a new arena of knowledge will take effort and time before we become proficient. It is usually not the skills of the profession they are observing but the innate characteristics we carry with us such as determination, humility, creativity, and of course courage. It is difficult for many to trade the immediate relief from anxiety which is the reward given for walking away from challenges but if we can let go of the need to be perfect, we will find that it is exhilarating to face a challenge which demands our full attention and is within our capability to conquer. Our lives flourish when we engage in tasks, hobbies, and endeavors which are challenging but not overwhelming. Tasks which are easy quickly become boring and lead to feelings of meaninglessness while tasks which are too challenging can overwhelm and frustrate us. Feel the exhilaration of challenging yourself by engaging in activities which are at the peak of your abilities to perform. Do something new, I double dog dare you! ~Troy Murphy Flourishing Life Society
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 11:08:19 +0000
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