It’s been more than three years since I wrote my first blog post. It’s something that I was so excited about doing, but I didn’t continue. I often thought about blogging but couldn’t bring myself to do it. The strange part is that I want to write. So why, you ask, did I not blog? After reflecting on the past few years, including my first blog post, I have been allowing a failure narrative to play on repeat in my mind, constantly telling me of where I dropped the ball, could have done better, or missed the mark completely. That perpetuated that fear of failure that has kept me from freely living my life, including not writing for my blog. Today, I am taking a step toward living more freely. So, today, I blog!

This blog serves many purposes for me, and my hope is that you will gain from my sharing. I am writing as a way to live courageously. Fear has been an overarching theme in my life since early adulthood. I’ll talk more about that at another time. Publishing this post is my way of writing despite the negative thoughts that kept me from writing until now. So, I win! I am also writing to encourage others, which I plan to do through various topics on counseling and mental health, social justice, and Christian faith. As I continue work on my second master’s degree and begin work as a counselor, this blog gives me a space to improve my writing and communication skills and to tell the world who I am and how I can help. As I integrate my Christian faith with my future career as a counselor, I hope that this blog inspires people to move toward a healthier mental and spiritual wellness.

So, that’s why I’m blogging! Today, I challenge you to consider:

• Do you have a fear that’s causing you to avoid or dismiss something that you want to do?
• How will your life be different if you choose to live courageously by doing that thing you’re avoiding despite the fear you feel?
• What’s the first step you can take toward facing that fear and living courageously?
• Will you set a goal for when you will take that first step? (I encourage you to tell someone your goal who can help you stay accountable.)

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.

This blog post was my way of tossing aside fear, “putting on my big girl panties,” and doing one thing that I believe I need to do. I am taking a stance against living fearfully in order to live freely, as God intends. Scripture teaches that God doesn’t want fear to rule our lives, and that He wants us to live powerfully, lovingly, and strongly. So, today, I blog.

Repost from https://mshopeful1922.wordpress.com/ July 18, 2020