No Worries

A quote from a little book in my library, written by Ellis Parker Butler in 1922, titled GHOSTS WHAT AIN”T:

“It is one of the shortest books in the Bible, and full of nature study about whales and gourd vines and worms. It has adventure by sea and by land, and a wicked city and a king in sackcloth, and a whole lot of things. But the moral in it is that Jonah side-stepped a job because he let a ghost what ain’t scare him; and then, when he did do the job, it was too late, and Jehovah went back on Jonah and even created a worm to bite Jonah’s gourd vine on the ankle and kill it.

The world is full of Jonahs. No man has a hoodoo thrust upon him or is a hoodoo by nature; but plenty of us create ghosts what ain’t for ourselves and let them scare us out of happiness and success.”

Do you ever worry and obsess over things out there? Anxiety is not just a state of mind, but a hindrance to longevity, happiness and health. Prolonged anxiety can lay a environment for many health issues, including heart disease ands some cancers. As someone who has had a couple panic attacks in her life and lived with her share of “Ghost What Ain’t” I will share the things that have been helpful to me in the past.
1. Deal with it: Whatever is fearful in your life make it your job to do that thing as soon as possible.
2. Let go: We fear what we can’t control and the truth is we don’t control anything–really. So give the steering wheel to someone who has more power than you.
3. Don’t hide your fear: Fear gets power from secrecy. Talk about your fears with a trusted friend and put them in the middle of the room–walk around them–ask questions about what it true–what is not.
4. Seek a different perspective on your fight and flight response. I used to think that butterflies in my stomach were a sign that I would crash and burn, now I view that feeling as an indicator that my body is ready for whatever comes next.
5. Don’t go it alone–be brave. If your anxieties have big roots, you may need the help of a wonderful professional that can help you whack away at the mindsets, disappointments and painful memories that have let them take hold of your life. The most courageous thing you can do is to seek help for yourself.
6. Tell your “Ghost What Ain’t” stories: Most of us believe we are the only whimp in the room. I find that everyone is fearful of one thing or another. If you are willing to share from a place of transparency, others will follow suit. This is a powerful acknowledgement that none of us are alone. We share the same obstacles and hurdles in life.
7. Know your operating instructions: I think of fear as a type of vampire. It sucks the life out of me and keeps me ineffective. Everyone knows you never invite a vampire into your home, so don’t invite fear into your head and heart. Refuse to let it in–refuse to let it loiter–refuse it harbor.
8. Find your power words: The words “Fear Not” appear in the Bible 365 times, one for each day of the year. Makes you think God knows us pretty well. My power words are “No Worries”.

We live in a time when there may be reasons to fear, but God calls us to his side everyday of the year and he says “look, you have no worries–I got you covered.” Do you believe him? if you do, then you might want to think about your “Ghosts What Ain’t”, make sure they aren’t sucking the life out of you or anyone else you know. Let me assure you, you will never regret it.

Wishing you no worries,

Kathy Vick, C.L.C.
Life Coach, Author, Speaker
www.fluentlifecoaching.com
www.runlikeagirl.org
503 886 9642

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