PREPARE YOUR EARS TO LISTEN, YOUR HEART TO RECEIVE AS YOU TAKE IN THE WORDS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AND SPOKEN TO YOU. In 2016, Former President Barack Obama spoke on the power of faith over fear at a National Prayer Breakfast. In his book "The Audacity of Faith," he went on to say that "the presence of faith is not the absence of doubt." I understand that some of my readers might not agree with his political views but I pray that you would agree with the words that he stated. Those words simply state that fear and faith cohabitate with each other and this is shown daily with some of the words and actions that we display. Words such as "I trust you but I am nervous” or “I know it will be alright but I am still worried" and “I want to step out but I don't know if this is the right time." We have all said words to this effect. Have you ever considered why you haven't taken that step or why you have hit that pause button on your life?
I will offer to you, that it is an emotional state of fear and possibly a mental health condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I am not a licensed clinician, counselor, therapist or doctor that can diagnose you with PTSD but I will provide you of the “symptoms and effects” that fear and PTSD that may cause on you.
Fear is an emotional state that not only affects your body but it alters your mind as well. Uncontained fear can lead to immune system dysfunction, eating disorders, exhaustion, and can activate your nervous system to release hormones called adrenalin (epinephrine) and cortisol. This is commonly referred to as "fight or flight response." Fear can lead to accelerated aging, memory loss and also cause damage to certain parts of the brain.
The Mayo Clinic classifies PTSD as a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event - either experiencing it or witnessing it. People that experience PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the event has ended. Some of the symptoms can include intrusive thoughts or images, nightmares, physical sensations such as pain, sweating, nausea or trembling.
When fear takes over your body and mind, your brain sees everything different and everything is negative. When you experience a taste, smell, or feeling, you may become triggered, and your fear or terror mode is activated and it makes you remember something that happened and gives you the feeling of it happening now, which makes you overreact. Examples like a job loss, death in a family, bad car wreck, or a bad relationship will linger and high jack your mind and keep you in a buffering or pause mode. Fear of rejection will keep you from going into a relationship, a fear of disappointment will stop you from asking a question, a fear of failure will stop you from moving on, a fear of falling will keep you close to the ground and anyone that knows me, the fear of drowning will keep me away from entering any body of water above 6 feet .
These emotions and feelings can ultimately ruin relationships and keep you alone because of your lack of trust. “Just because you don't have trust insurance, doesn’t mean that you don't have assurance." When you are worried about what will happen, don't know what to do, where to go, or your past is trying to take over, be bold by stepping out on faith and keep it moving. #SPEAK2MYHEART.
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