Fear Is Normal... Fight It

Fear. The one emotion that has complete and utter control of your being. Fear has the capability of revoking our deepest desires. It has the ability to suppress our greatest plans. It can be debilitating and incredibly dangerous. It's an emotion that trumps all others: desire, faith, love.

Do not let fear paralyze you. Don’t let it ruin the good you have in front of you. Your thoughts and emotions may be all over the map, and that’s okay. Keep those people who are able to unearth your vulnerability and insecurities. Cling to these people who inspire you to be who you are outside of Instagram and Facebook.

Don’t let the fear of missing out, the fear of choosing the wrong person, the fear of the unknown, or the fear of being rejected keep you from pursuing your future. Because there’s always that ‘what if’. What if I get that promotion? What if I receive that internship?

What if he/she really is THE one for me? Don’t let your temporary satisfaction dictate your future happiness. Don't let the fear of failure be the reason you don't apply or pursue. Apply and pursue what makes your heart happy.

Do what you love and do it well. Apply for that internship in Colorado, move to DC for that semester, bike from Austin to Alaska for cancer. Be incredible, be fearless, live intentionally. Live to grow, to spread knowledge, to inspire. Make moves to make waves in your life and in the life of those around you.

You were designed for greatness, embrace it. Nerves are normal. Rejection happens. But don’t let fear overwhelm you from doing what truly fulfills you. Life is hard, it’s scary, and it’s full of (really big) decisions. Don't let fear keep you from being the best version of you.

In my life, I have been rejected in every capacity, in every way, multiple times. I have let anxiety control my thoughts and actions for many years. Anxiety is rooted in fear, fear of failure, fear of loss, fear of disappointment. I got to a point to where I had to choose to step past fear to allow myself opportunities.

Every. Single. Day. Is a battle.

But I am much happier for pursuing people, for loving through my pain, fearlessly and intentionally. While rejection hurts, don't let it possess you. Cope, grieve, dust off your knees and get back at it. Get yourself up, regroup and move forward. Let yourself be inspired by those around you, rather than jealous. Apologize even when you don’t feel like you've done wrong and learn to forgive yourself for your mistakes.

Be purposeful, be vulnerable, be intentional and you will be successful in moving past whatever fear is holding you back. Keep the people around who love you and support you endlessly. Keep the people who encourage you to be better, to love harder, and to laugh more.

These are the kinds of people who understand life is short. If you die tomorrow, would you be happy with where you left things? With your accomplishments thus far? Where do the relationships in your life currently stand? Are you happy with these? If not, I highly suggest you act now.

Every single day you should wake up and feel secure and confident in your decisions. Don't waste your time playing games, playing girls, or playing with your emotions. Be intentional in what you do and who you do it with. Do life with people who encourage you and support you. Find love and laughter in every capacity.

Find it in your friends, in intimate relationships, in mentorships, and in your family. Push past the fears of rejection, loss, and heartache so you can truly experience happiness in this difficult life.

Be intentional with your pursuit of people. Don't be discouraged. Live your life to the best of your ability. Life happens, friends betray you, you don't get accepted, and love sometimes hurts. You will fall down, but get back up and start again. Don't let your past rejections become a fear. Continue to pursue what your heart wants, don't fight the desire, embrace it and intentionally work towards that.

Life is too short to let fear get in the way of the people you pursue. Don't let it get it in the way of the things you want to pursue. Don't let it get in the way of your ambition. There will always be other opportunities, other jobs, other 'fish in the sea'. But when you have something good, when you have something that inspires you, when you have something that pushes you to be better- hold on to that with intentionality, with purpose, and with great passion.

Choose to fight fear to live intentionally. Apply for that out-of-state internship, ask for those letters of recommendation, ask a mentor for advice, bike 4,000 for cancer. Surround yourself with people who continue to inspire you, support you, and encourage you. Wake up and have the courage to do something greater than yourself. Understand that the journey is going to be tough, but the end will be so much sweeter for pushing past your fears for intentional living.