Fear

Fear. It's defined as such (according to Dictionary.com):

a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

So that is the main definition of fear.  With games in the mainstream like Dead Space, Slender, and Amnesia, people are exhilarated by the  concept of fear.  It's interesting how the adrenaline boost is drug-like, and is quite addicting.  I have had my fair share of games, and I do enjoy them on occasion.  However, fear in real life is something that has been holding me figuratively hostage lately it seems.

Now, I don't know if people can sympathize, but I find that I tend to sabotage myself in a lot that I do.  Like, I don't start something because I'm incredibly fearful to start something new.  It's hard to believe, but it's true.  I like change, but not a lot of it.  I'm starting a new exercise plan this next Monday, Steve Cook's Big Man On Campus 12-Week College Trainer.  I'm terrified because I am doing things that I have never done before.  There are workouts in this training that I've never done before, and I'm moderately terrified about doing it wrong or something like that.  I figure I might have to do this alone too, which is something that terrifies me as well.

This is his basic idea. It's quite inspirational.

But for some reason, the topic has been brought up a lot in different things this past week.  First, over at Ohio Comic Con.  Jason David Frank taught a brief karate class, and he spoke a while before.  It was kinda cool because he kinda was mentioning how a lot of what we do is based on what we say.  He mentioned that our words control our thoughts, which control our body, which control our actions, which control our habits, which control our characteristics.  He mentioned that we shouldn't let fear stop us from doing what we dream.
I was inspired by this, and it really made me want to start doing something.  To drive the nail further on the head, we had Scott Rigsby come in and speak in chapel.  He's a double amputee who had won an Iron man competition.  He was speaking on how he overcame his disability and did an awesome thing.

So I was incredibly inspired. I want to start doing things and not be afraid of what people think or what I think of myself (which quite honestly is probably half of why I sabotage myself).  It's interesting to think of what I can accomplish.

Would it be cliche to end with a cliche Bible Verse?

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13, ESV)

As much as this is taken out of context, I still use this as a really nice inspirational verse when I find myself stopping what I want to do for myself.  What are you afraid of, and how can you overcome it?