I just came across this post about '21 Fears that will kill your dreams if you let them' by Sarah L. Webb.
Sometimes I read an article or post (same thing maybe?) and sit there thinking and wondering whether the writer opened an invisible window and read my thoughts? Of course, with age and experience come the realisation that most people share similar fears, but that never quite stops the initial jolt of recognition of oneself in a good piece of writing.
Have you ever wondered though, that if we are all afraid of similar things, how does anyone ever achieve anything? Someone told me recently that most people's lives are pretty bad but I just don't buy that. Everyone has troubles, granted, but not everyone has a really bad life. Lots of people are quite happy with their lives albeit perhaps wishing for more of the good things.
When I'm not battling overwhelming depression I am content enough with mine, even though people like to tell me what I should be doing and list all my mistakes and failings.
Heck, if that keeps them happy, go ahead, but I hope they won't mind if I don't listen...
One line I particularly like is: Unless your dream is to be a hermit, you have to work on getting comfortable with people looking at you. That I can soooo identify with.
Its an odd thing but there are many teachers out there who confidently work with a class of thirty children all day every day for their entire working lives, but ask them to speak to a small group of adults and they run screaming. Its weird. I myself can teach in school and theatre, play the organ in Church, perform piano bar for hours to a shifting crowd but ask me to present a Craft Night to the Mother's Union and I'm in bits!
Still, read the article for yourself and see what you think- myself I can see plenty of lifebelts to grasp and float with! Its all grist to the mill of self-improvement and a life worth living!
3 comments:
I can identify with your last point. As an ex teacher I can talk to groups of children well; I can even talk to groups of adults without a problem. But ask me to socialise with those same adults and I'm lost. I've never learnt the art of small talk, and being that close to people throws me completely, I feel that I need to back off a few feet. I'm off to read the article now.
What an interesting article. When I first started therapy for my anxiety and depression, I was asked to write a list of the 'rules' I had set up for myself. There were loads. When I came to the end of the therapy we dug them out and looked at them and I was shocked at how hard I'd been on myself for so many years, and delighted at how many rules I was now able to let go.
It's a great list, and it's so lovely that you're starting to find the real you!
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