We
all know what's good for us. We know intuitively what changes we can
make to improve ourselves and our situations to find more satisfaction
and joy in life.
change jobs
leave the relationship
alter weight and/or improve health
move away from or move closer to someone
seek counseling or professional advice
let go of bitterness
Changing is difficult because fear is easy. The
greatest fear is to really look inside and understand ourselves because we fear
what we will find. We’re afraid to confront our weakness and unresolved
issues. We’re afraid of uncovering the hurts and really understanding our
disappointments and disillusionment and dissatisfaction. We think we can
avoid pain by ignoring it.
We’re afraid that we’re not good enough or worthy of something better, so we disguise our fear and rename it. We cover it up with deceptive thoughts and behaviors and addictions that dull our pain in an attempt to avoid it. In reality, those things only add to our pain and increase our fears.
Ignoring the inherent sufferings of life and trying to avoid them does not make them go away. Guarding
your vulnerable self doesn’t make you stronger. It makes you more
fragile and less resilient. It makes you brittle, less able to cope, and
less able to achieve happiness and satisfaction and fulfillment in life. The
only way to save yourself is to open up to your fears and look them straight in
the face. You
are good enough. You are worthy of healing, forgiveness,
redemption, joy. The goodness of life is available if you strive to understand your fear in order to make the changes you know you want.
