Being a worrywart is lame.

Our family is in a season of change. We have just transitioned from one mission season to another unknown season. I have learned that in change, there is a deep awareness of the unknown, which is uncomfortable and can bring out the worst in us.

I quickly get anxious, and my mind rushes toward feelings of overwhelm, dread, and fear.

In this automatic response, I want to fight or flee… yet I have found myself in a space where I begin to navigate through fear and anxiousness instead of overreacting.

Rather than engaging directly with fear, I am becoming conscious of its pull and lure. Instead of accepting its hand of “comfort,” I acknowledge that it’s trying to be a stabilizing force, and I have been okay with not being OK.

In this state, it feels uncomfortable and out of control, yet surprisingly stable.

Something happens to our emotional core that begins to stretch and strengthen when we stop using fear and anxiety as a crutch.  

Yes, I am fatigued and sore, and it feels strange, but oddly, I feel stronger; what was once a weakness is slowly becoming a strength.

No, I do not have all the answers or everything figured out, but I do know that fear is not driving me, and anxiousness is not pulling on the brake.

I am gradually taking steps that I believe are in the right direction, and with each step, I know I am growing stronger, independent of fear and anxiety… I am developing into a state of stability.

It is worth the struggle, the tiredness, and the unknown to learn to walk free and surrender to peace and joy; these are the muscles formed by choosing to put down the crutches of fear and anxiety.

You can try this too…  

If you feel fear, dread, and anxiety, it is okay to acknowledge the crutch and not act on it.  

In the acknowledgment, you begin to feel the support beneath your arms, see the distribution, and realize how it hinders your ability to become all you were created to be.

My practice for months has been to STOPPP, not fix, run, or hide.

In my practice to surrender to overwhelming Presence. Peace. and Power. I began to see that I am not my fear and anxiety; that they are not a disability but rather tools I used to cope. I started to slowly take a step with only one crutch, then none, and then reach for them again… and every time I took a step back, I did not judge myself. I say to myself… "better today, another step tomorrow…"

Day by day, I grow stronger…  

The crutches are still there; one day, I will throw them away, but for now, I am walking more slowly, yet steadier… And I know that with time, my stride will pick up, and soon I will be strong enough to help carry others when fear and anxiety take over.

Through this practice, I have learned to walk in compassion, grace, and joy more and more. I believe that as you practice, you can learn to grow in compassion, grace, and joy instead of fear, dread, and anxiety.

The journey is hard, but good. 

Grace and peace, my friend.  

Let me know if you want to talk more. Just connect through the “Contact” section.