“Be strong and of good courage, and do it.” 1 Chronicles 28:20 – The Bible
Remember the famous Nike commercial?
Just Do It!
Sometimes just doing it is not so easy. If we are not doing something then there is usually a reason, and it is most often either fear or limiting beliefs that will stop us.
Limiting beliefs are those more than life-size beliefs that we have carried forward with us. We most often start believing them before we are even old enough to be aware of them. They can come in the form of not feeling worthy, talented enough, or not deserving. It could stem from something said to us when we were younger, or a perception we had based on some hurt feelings.
We can shift our mindset and change our limiting beliefs by using affirmation statements. These are statements we write that reflect our true skills, gifts, talents, and potential.
To use our personal affirmation statements, change our mindset, and live with the unique purpose and potential we were given takes strength and courage. It takes change and a stepping up to what we might not believe to be true yet, but know to be true.
A great example of this is my very loud laugh. If you know me, you know what I mean! It is how my children find me in a crowd! For many years I was told I laugh too loud and was questioned where that laugh came from. I became very self concious of it … but couldn’t stop … it was just my natural laugh. Years later I started to realize that people were complimenting me on my laugh and would comment on how much they enjoyed it when I laughed.
So I changed my mindset! I wrote an affirmation statement that says, “My laugh and sense of humour are contagious and brighten a room”.
Strength and courage are also necessary for the goals and dreams we want to reach. They help us reach further than we naturally would and step out of our comfort zone.
As I read this statement telling us to be strong and have courage, I noticed another step. It doesn’t stop at just having strength and courage. We need to do it. To actually take the action step. To move. To take action. This is the intentional and purposeful step.
What we need with strength and courage, is action. To just take the next step, no matter how big or small it is. It could be a baby step, one at a time. My action step was to write that affirmation statement that would remind myself of the truth and change my mindset. Your action step may be to register for that course you are afraid to take or to have that difficult conversation you have been putting off. For some, it is getting out of bed in the morning in the midst of illness and disease. For my friend Cyndi, who is a quadruple amputee, it was driving again or riding a horse again for the first time, learning to walk again, or writing her book! Such an inspiration.