Imagine 2 scenarios with me if you will – Both involving Bears:
Scenario #1: A Grizzly Bear walks in the room
Scenario #2: Winnie the Pooh walks in the room
What is your reaction in both scenarios??
If you’re my roommate Lyndsee, your reaction to Winnie the Pooh is “Where are your pants?!“
If it’s me (and probably the rest of you), and a Grizzly Bear walks in the room, our reaction is:
But really, our brains when faced with stress or fear, react as though Scenario #1 is in action! Our bodies literally react as if a bear was chasing us from behind and that’s where our brains take charge.
Our brains are designed with 3 Specific Goals:
- SURVIVAL: This is its #1 priority. Keeping you ALIVE
- SAFETY: “Am I ok?” Is my environment a safe zone?”
- SELF-GRATIFICATION: Your body seeks a reward/things that make you happy (food, physical touch, etc…)
This is everyday life for people and sadly most of us are stuck in the ‘Survival’ phase.
Past experiences and current circumstances have us rooted in anxiety and depression to the point wherefore a lot of us, it’s sub-conscious – second nature.
We don’t even notice that this is an unhealthy way of living. We’ve just adopted it into our lives as a natural part of life experience and that.is.wrong.
We weren’t created to live in a constant state of ‘Fight, Flight, or Freeze’. We HATE even the notion of vulnerability, because, “I can’t open up myself to you and risk you rejecting the dirty parts of me!“
I recently heard a great quote from someone who said that ‘The longest road is from the head to the heart.‘
Wow. Is that ever true.
It is much easier to convince the person across the table from us about their worth and legitimacy, then it is for us to convince the person staring back at us in the mirror each day.
If it’s true that we are created in the image of God, then it’s also true that we received his character.
And lemme tell you: Fear is NOT a part of God’s character.
We were created to receive love from God (really receive it and believe it!) and to distribute that love back to each other.
It’s not always easy. You can’t boil the whole ocean, but you can start with a cup or a pot.
The power of life and death are in the tongue, but gratitude is the quickest way to neuter fear.
In other words, start small. Take care of yourself first, because if you can’t care for yourself, you won’t be able to care for others.
