In the last post I talked about the lies we tell ourselves and how they harm our realities. These lies are based on assumptions about other people and what we think that they think. Sometimes wrong thoughts/lies are rightly called, “stinking thinking.” It’s made up of “I can’ts” and “But what ifs.” If you think you can’t, you won’t. If you don’t do something based on “what if,” nothing will change. Most stinking thinking is based on fear: fear of rejection, fear of being laughed at, fear of not having a home/friends/food/a job, or fear of unfulfilled dreams . . . the list is endless. But you know what they say fear stands for: False Evidence Appearing Real. It’s false. It’s a lie. It’s not real. Yet we buy into lies and it harms our hearts and minds.
When you fear something, stop and ask yourself why you fear it and what’s the worst which can happen. A mentor told me years ago to “Embrace your fears” in order to move past them and not be afraid of them any more. She has a good point. Avoidance behavior and attitudes won’t make fear go away. In fact, they make it grow. Confronting the fear and seeing it for what it really is – untrue – is the way to no longer being afraid.
If you don’t believe me, just think of a time when the most dreaded thing which you thought could happen to you, did. Did you fear that fear any more? Or, being in the thick of the problem, did you rise to the occasion because fear was no longer holding you back? And why was it no longer there? Because it was no longer a thought. Reality came into play and the fear was unmasked for what it was: a lie. Instead of having a meltdown and falling apart, you girded yourself to handle the issue and found you could do it. Why? Because you are capable and confident. Without the fear of the potential, you are left with reality. And that you can handle better than a lie.
One final thought: have you ever known a chronic liar? That person who never tells the truth or embellishes every story and excuse? It’s not easy talking to them, is it? Why? Because they’re not dealing with reality and it’s hard to associate with someone whose mind is out in the Twilight Zone and not facing reality. They live in fear and it affects those around them.
Most of us have chronic lies plaguing our minds. Sometimes those lies have been there for years. It’s time to stop the lies and start living in truth – “The truth will set you free.” Let’s take time this week to sit down with a journal or piece of paper and write down the lies you’ve bought into. If you’re uncertain which is a lie and which is the truth, investigate bad feelings and fears you have. Ask yourself why those feelings arise and you’ll soon discover their origins. Once you know when and why the lies took root, you can root them out with the truth and start walking in freedom. It’s not always easy and may take some time, but you can do it.
You are what you think, so let’s think the truth.