Insecurity: Get Out of My Way
Don’t let insecurity rob you of your DESTINY and your LEGACY.
Have you ever been in your car and you started yelling at the car in front of you to “GET OUT OF MY WAY?” We have no problem to voice our frustrations at something or someone, but when was the last time you told insecurity, worry, anxiety, frustrations to GET OUT OF YOUR WAY? Sounds silly, but stay with me….why do we NOT put up with a car getting in our way, people walking too slow in front of us or a traffic light taking too long to go from red to green…but we PUT UP with insecurity and other toxic emotions everyday?
As I look over my 58 years of walking this earth, I have struggled off and on with insecurity. What started as a moment of insecurity spiraled into decades of feeling invisible, insecure, “people pleaser” and so on. Just like unforgiveness or anger, insecurity branches off into so many things that work against us and not for us. Can you relate?
I always wanted to be that person who saw challenges and obstacles as “bring it on” verses “oh no, I can’t do this.” However, a wise counselor told me years ago that all of those insecurities, self-limited beliefs and feeling invisible brought me to where I am today. It brought me to the place where I was looking at my life and saying, “this is not what I want for myself.” Without those battle scars and chinks in my armor, I would not have the wisdom, experience and desire to pour into the younger generation … the men and women of tomorrow.
My friend LeeLee Genovese (https://www.coachleelee.com/) has a unique way to overcome insecurity and her inspiration comes from the lyrics “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt. LeeLee says, “It is just a great reminder that you can't make people like you. You can't be more than you are. And that has to be ok!” She goes on to say, “I tend to read A LOT when I feel insecure. Just getting the mind active is a powerful tool of distraction.”
How about you, what tools are in your toolbox that help you get insecurity OUT OF YOUR WAY ? Please share in the comment section below.
“When you’re 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you’re 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you’re 60 you realize no one was ever thinking about you in the first place.”
HOW TO GET INSECURITY OUT OF YOUR WAY !
Do the work. Iyanla Vanzant says “do the work, be with yourself for a minute, shut up and listen. Go to those places you don’t like about yourself.”
Re-evaluate. What are the things people have said you “CAN’T DO” and therefore, you did not try? Ask yourself “why did I believe them?” “What can I do today to change that mindset?”
Give back. Pick one person or a community need where you can give back and bless others.
Look in the Mirror. What if you spoke only positive things over yourself? How would that change you? What if you BELIEVED your self-uplifting messages? What does that look and feel like?
Know Your Why. Your WHY is your North Star, your compass. Your WHY will be the force to keep you moving forward no matter how much insecurity or rejection pulls at you. Your WHY will be the force to push YOU through hard times when things don’t go your way.
Be JOYFUL. Joy is a choice and a mindset. Joy is more sustaining than happiness. Joy goes deep within us and anchors us. When the voice of insecurity comes at you, replace it with a JOYFUL thought, a JOYFUL voice.
Embrace YOU. Embrace your vision, your destiny, your legacy and your gifts and talents.
Eleanor Roosevelt gave the following advice on overcoming insecurity. She shared about her “ugly duckling” appearance, low self-esteem, and overcoming it all by living a life in service of others. She gained her strength by helping others.
Serena Williams, “When I was young I thought I should be built more like an athlete — long and lean — not with a womanly figure. But then people my age started coming up to me, saying, ‘I love you because of the way you look.’ They could relate to me. That was really motivating. It’s all about loving who you are and realizing that you’re beautiful.”— Fitness 2014
Aly Raisman, “I think everyone goes through phases in life where they feel insecure. I have plenty of times. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate my body. Young girls should be taught that there’s no ideal body type. We’re all different and unique in our way—if we all looked the exact same, we’d be very boring."
My friend, remember there is only ONE OF YOU and that is by design! Designed by God.