Tag: perseverance

Let Go of Self-Doubt: Trust Yourself

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“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”-Suzy Kassem (Brainyquote.org)

Today, I was teaching English to a classroom of English as Second Language students. These students are often riddled with self-doubt about communicating in English. They share with me their reasons for wanting to learn English.  Their dreams are as diverse as they are.  The desire to reach dreams/personal goals is a universal desire that springs from  the depths of the human spirit.

One particular student this morning really got me to thinking about the negative, soul-crushing impact of self-doubt. She was so afraid that she couldn’t complete the activity sheet that she just sat at her desk and stared at it, lost. I sat next to her and asked her quietly to just simply do as best she could, that it was okay if she didn’t know everything, that she should at least give it a try. Well, she mustered up the courage and ended up shocking herself when she completed the activity sheet and scored high on it. The expression on her face was one of joy and surprise. I could see her confidence build as she realized that by trying she had succeeded. If she had not challenged herself and moved through her self-doubt she would never have known that she was capable of success.

Yes, doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will because if you are riddled with self-doubt you simply are too afraid to try.

Whatever my student’s personal dreams are, hopefully her experience today in my classroom will serve as a reminder that by moving past self-doubt and taking a chance she can succeed if she perseveres.

Whatever your dreams are, do not give into self-doubt. Of course, we all fail from time to time, but never stop trying to move forward. Life is a journey. Be hopeful, be confident, persevere. God is with you; you cannot fail. You can learn and move forward. Always move forward.

Blessings to all.

 

Jenny W. Andrews Copyright 2020

 

Living Fearlessly

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“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears-” Les Brown (Brainyquote.com)

I saw this quote in a 2020 journal I purchased a few weeks ago. It got me to thinking about all the opportunities that I have personally not taken because of fear of failure, fear of rejection, undefined fear, fear that I was not capable enough to actually succeed if I attempted to take action on something I truly wanted to accomplish; fearful living is not living at all.

2020 is a fresh start and I have challenged myself to dedicate at least two hours daily to my writing.  So far, so good. I refuse to listen to that negative voice that tells me all the reasons I shouldn’t even try; I refuse to give into fear of failure and fear of rejection.

Truth is that in this life we are all limited editions with limited time in this space. Think about it-no one will ever in the history of this universe ever be exactly like we are as individuals. There will never be an exact replica of you or me. We are each unique with our own passions and dreams; we are incredibly precious souls who are here for such a short time when we consider the millennium that has come and gone, and is yet to come.

Lately, I have been looking back over old family photos. Some of the photos date back nearly a hundred years. I look at my grandmother’s face from so long ago and wonder what her joys were, as well as what her fears were. I have a photo of my father when he was in his early twenties. His face was tense and there was a haunting sadness in his large dark eyes; I wonder what was the source of that palpable sorrow. What did he fear at that moment? The year was during the early days of the The Great Depression. Had he been afraid of hunger? What fears had dogged him? How had those fears impacted his future?

Fear robs us of our future; it robs us of our potential. Fear paralyzes us with its worst case scenarios and catastrophic imaginings. Nothing is ever as bad as we imagine. We do not realize just how much power we do possess within our own spirits to accomplish great things for ourselves, as well as for others.

II Timothy 1:7 says: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Psalm 27:1 says: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

The Lord is with us in our sorrows; He is with us when we are afraid, as well.

A strategy I have implemented in 2020 is to fight back against those fears by reminding myself that God has given me a spirit of power, not a spirit of fear. When I am not strong enough (which is often), I remind myself that the Lord is my strength.

It is my total reliance on the Lord’s strength that gives me the courage to live fearlessly even when negative thoughts try to tell me otherwise.

 

Copyright 2020 Jenny W. Andrews

 

 

A Favorite Quote

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“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.”- Vince Lombardi

 

 

Life has it’s ups and downs.  In my last blog, I wrote about my cousin Betty and her passing from this earthly existence to her eternal home.

Nothing in this life stays the same. We are all moving forward on our journey. At times, it is easy to give into despair and anxiety. It is difficult to accept this life’s twists and turns, but we must accept these changes whether we feel like it or not.

Like Lombardi implied, it is getting back up that truly matters.

These last few days I have prayed and read scripture, shared my feelings with my best friend, and released my sadness at the loss of my cousin Betty. Life is about changes, nothing remains the same. We have to grieve; we have to also honor this precious, fragile existence and not give into the abyss of despair.

This morning as I was eating breakfast I looked out the window at the majestic oaks in my back yard, and I watched hawks gracefully soar across the light blue sky. The sun peaked through the branches of the cherry laurels. Squirrels darted from branches high above oaks. The world in the early morning hour was truly beautiful.

I am thankful to God for this life that He has blessed me with. It isn’t always easy, but I know that He is with me just as He promised. God keeps His promises and I know that I am not alone. God gives me the strength to get back up even when I don’t think that I have any strength left.

 

Jenny W. Andrews Copyright 2020

Joy

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Joy

Getting through the day by letting things be as they are.

Letting go of control; Just accepting my world.

Not reading into things.

Simply being in this moment and letting this moment be.

Living my own truth; Voicing my own opinion.

Loving,

Laughing,

Creating my own joy; Refusing to let the darkness in.

Copyright 2019, Jenny W. Andrews

 

Please remember to get my poetry book “Life at the End of the Rainbow.” It is available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback. I would really like to get your feedback. Thanks for reading.