Tips For Overcoming The Fear Of Being Bold

If you’re never bold, you’ll find it hard to fight for what you believe in. Living a life true to yourself means that you have to stand up for what you believe in.

But the question is: how to be bold?

Being bold doesn’t mean smashing pens in front of your colleagues whenever the disagree with you and throwing a tantrum. Instead, you want to be respectful and assertive when you’re bold. Depending on your personality this can be challenging. But the benefits of being bold far out way the potential negative outcomes.

I’m not talking about being offended at everything you disagree with, or throwing tantrums when things go your way. If you learn the right way, you will be able to be respectful.

If standing up for yourself and being bold sounds like a nightmare to you, you’re in the right place. This post will show you why it’s important to be bold in your life, with actionable tips to get you started.

1. Find Your Values In Life

It’s much easier to be bold if you know what you stand for. Being bold and speaking up often starts from figuring out and defining your values.

There are many ways to go about this. For example, you can try to brainstorm and write down behaviors and characteristics that you vale in yourself and others. But on a more specific level, you can also write down your goals for a project your working on. If you know what you’re goals and values are, it’s easier to stand up for yourself whenever it’s needed.

The most important thing to know is to take as much time as you need and be completely honest with yourself. Keep in mind that values in different domains of life can sometimes contradict each other: you may value independence in your personal life and cooperation at work or visa-verse.

You may also find that your values don’t entirely align with those of your co-workers or role models. Don’t be discouraged if these things happen: you’re working out your own values, not someone else’s.

2. Keep Yourself Informed

While being bold and assertive is something positive, you don’t want to be known as a bold, uninformed and naive person. If that happens, being bold suddenly loses its appeal, right?

If you stand up for yourself and be bold, it’s important to be informed about whatever you’re doing. If you’re in a meeting and make a case about something that goes against others there, you better make sure you can handle a bit of resistance.

The more informed you are, the more confident you can be in taking a side or making a stand. You are also less susceptible to disrespect, hostility, and rejection if you have all the facts straightened out.

It’s important to not just look for information that supports your opinion. It’s arguably even more important to explore the counter-arguments. Why would someone disagree with what you believe in? When your properly informed about all the angles, you’ll be better able to stand up for yourself without being silenced by the opposition.

This also helps you mitigate most of the risks that come with being bold. If you’re trying to be bold without being informed, you may come across as reckless.

3. Say No

So far, we’ve talked about knowing your values and keeping yourself informed. These things are important pieces of the puzzle, but they don’t actually make you bold.

Here’s something that does help you be bolder in life, say no more often. You must realize “No” is a complete sentence.

If someone asks you something that you’re not obliged to do and don’t want to do, you can simply say ”No” and leave it at that. You do the always have to justify why you can’t make it to a party, or why you can’t work overtime on the weekends.

By becoming more comfortable with saying “No,” you’ll find it easier to be more true to yourself. Saying “No” more often is really saying “Yes” to yourself to your own life. A life that’s more meaningful for you. Whereas too much ‘Yes” can leave us drained emotionally and physically from overcommitment to others.

4. Learn To Resolve Conflicts Instead Of Avoiding Them

People may be angry or disappointed in you when you say no,Especially if they’re used to you saying yes. Emotions, even negative ones, are a natural part of human relationships. A good relationship isn’t necessary without conflict, but rather one where conflicts are resolved.

It isn’t your job or responsibility to keep others happy.

If someone is angry at you or hurt you and insulted you, address the issue. State the issue and you’re feelings about it and let the other person have their say. Use “I” statements and avoid making assumptions about how the other person might feel.

For example: “I don’t like how you made the decision without discussing it with me first.” Or “ I can see that you were angry with me. You were counting on me to come along with your plan and I didn’t.”

This is a great way to not only be bold, but also assertive and respectful towards others.

5. Tell The Truth

An important step to living a bold life is, unsurprisingly, tell the truth.

  • If you don’t find something funny, then don’t laugh.
  • If you don’t agree with what someone says, then don’t.

This John Lennon “sums it up very nicely:

Being honest may not get you a lot of friends but it always get you the right ones.

John Lennon

By not being genuine, You may get a chain reaction of dishonest approval and what you dislike, encouraging more of it in the future. In this way, you can help create an atmosphere in your life that you don’t actually like. It’s not going along with the shade of blue or the living room that you’re not actually that keen on.

6. Embrace The Discomfort

If you’ve never stood up for yourself or said no, expressing your true opinions can be scary. However, in order to grow and learn, you’ve got to get out of your comfort zone.

For example, When somebody asks you to do something and you and you answer “No”, it can feel incredibly uncomfortable to just leave it at that.

While it may be in your nature to want to explain yourself, you want to resist this urge. Don’t go on a tirade about how tired and busy you are, even if it’s true. Instead, politely say no, and leave it at that. When pressed for an exclamation, just say that you cannot do that right now.

Here are some helpful phrases to remember for the next time you want to say no:

  • I cannot do that right now.
  • Thank you for thinking of me but I will have to pass on that for now.
  • I cannot help you right now, but I would be happy to help you next week/month/ etc.

Use the last one sparingly and only for those projects That you generally like to be a part of, but can’t right now because you’ve got too much on your plate already.

I hope by now you have a better idea of how to be bold when your life, even when it’s not in your personality. Bball may not make you the most friendly person in life, but I can help you get the respect you deserve.

Are you a bowl person by nature, or are you finding it hard to express your opinion over someone else’s?

Eternity Amnesia

I started reading a devotional today’s was by Paul David Tripp about “ eternity amnesia,” I was amazed by how well his comment helps understand the madness we see around us in the world today and also, sadly, sadly to some degree in the church.

In today’s devotional in his book, New morning mercies I found that his words are so pertinent to the time in Which we live in and who our needs as followers of Christ. Let me read some of what he wrote:

It is sad how many people constantly live the schizophrenic craziness of eternity amnesia. We are created to live in a forever Relationship with her forever God forever. We are designed to live based on a long view of life. We are made who live with one eye on now and one eye on eternity. You and I super cannot live as we were put together to live without forever. But so many people try. They put all their hopes and dreams in the right here, right now situations, locations, possessions, positions, and people of their daily lives… They demand a seriously broken world deliver us what it could never deliver even if we’re not broken.

Paul David Tripp

“ your eternity amnesia makes you unrealistically expectant, vulnerable to temptation, all too driven, dependent on people and things that will only disappoint you, and sadly susceptible to doubting the goodness of God. Recognizing that eternity that is to come allow you to be realistic without being hopeless, and hopeful when things around you don’t encourage much hope.”

“And Scripture is clear – this is not paradise, and it won’t be. Rather, this is a time of preparation for the paradise that is to come.”

The evidence is clear – there jusr has to be more to life than this. This broken, sin- scarred mess can’t be all there is. There is a place where everything that is sin is broken will be fully restored who are God originally intended it to be.

Paul David Tripp asked this penetrating question, “Are you experiencing the schizophrenia of having eternity hardwired into your heart but living everything moment is all there is?”

His comments some of my motivation for writing. I write remind myself and Afters that this life is not all there is. Are you seek to draw attention away from the drudgery of day-to-day living in the Quarry if you turn it he waiting at an eternity. Were those who do not rest upon Jesus for the forgiven her for sins and internal life In our Lord and him alone.

While, there are still convictions regarding the timing of Jesus’s return for His church. overriding concern is that we do not place our hope in a fleeting things of this earth but look who Jesus’s return and the joy ahead of us. It is very easy to slip into hoping in the things of this life, or forgetting a wonderful and glorious promises of life ahead for us in eternity. It’s very easy to slip into hoping in the things of life while forgetting the wonderful and glorious promises of life ahead for us in eternity.

So many times the angst and hatred on social media is the result of putting our hope in the things of this life rather than eternity. I am greeted by what I see because it feels a longing for Paradise in this life, which will never happen, and reveals all act of any hope we on our short stay here.

Jesus‘s resurrection make His promises sure. Who else accurately predict His Death and the exact timing of His resurrection? And, if Is words are that accurate, then we can absolutely trust His warnings Of the coming tribulation.

It’s when I forget about eternity that this life takes on a frightful dimension. It’s so easy to get caught up making comments on social media, once I later regret.

On the other hand, if you hear Hope Avenue eternity that has spark so much healing in my soul from the wounds of my past that keep me joyously pushing forward Inspired the aches and pains of this life and in spite of the shifting winds of politics.

Strength Beyond Ourselves

We long for strength beyond ourselves to help us cope. Have you ever wondered if God could be that strength?

If so you’re in good company. Polls show that while most people believe in God, and even pray, they still have questions. Is Faith really rational? How can I know if God exists? And if He does, does He really care?

Some describe it as a hunger or thirst for something more. Maybe you have gone down that road, “if only I had more money, a nicer car, a bigger house. If only I could experience this or that, that would bring purpose to my life. But then after climbing the ladder, so to speak, we look back and say, “is that all there is?” “Isn’t there a bigger purpose to life, something that will give meaning?” And we wonder if God could give us purpose?

Others have been brought to the end of their rope by the stresses of life. It could be martial or family responsibilities, illness, the death of a loved one, or something that has happened in your past that’s tearing you apart. Yes, we try to keep a stiff upper lip. But on the inside we know that, as strong as we may try to be, the reality it that we feel helpless. We long for strength beyond ourselves to help us cope. And wonder of God could be that strength?

Still others realize that the stresses in their life are their own doing. Whatever it might be, we can look back and see that we are living with the consequences of our own choices. And many wonder if God can love someone who has been down the path we have chosen?

These questions are the kind of questions that the Bible describes as spiritual seeking. We are all on a spiritual journey whether we realize it or not. Being a spiritual seeker is a great thing to be, because according to Jesus. Seekers always find what they’re looking for.

I go to church regularly, but that isn’t what makes me a Christian. I go to church because I thrive on having great friendships and the support of those who also go to church. Church has become a close family for me. I know if I need the love and support of any of these people I can count on them 100% of the time. I realize that it’s sometimes difficult to find a loving, non- judgmental church but they are out there.

We have to make a distinction between having a relationship with God, and having a church family. There’s a huge difference between having a personal relationship with God, and having a church family. It’s my personal relationship with God, that makes it possible to have a supportive church family.

Many seek God through a process of inquiry, that may include church attendance, but I don’t see how you can have one without the other. At some point in our spiritual seeking we need come to a decision that we will trust in God. Faith is personalizing the message of Christ. It is trusting in what He did for us personally by dying for our sins.

The outcome of our faith is sometimes referred to as spiritual birth. Just as physical growth follows physical birth, spiritual birth follows spiritual birth. The learning environment found in the church is a important part of the spiritual growth process. While spiritual birth follows a decision to trust Christ, and Him alone, as our means of forgiveness and relationship with God. It is this faith decision that makes us a Christian.

At Grace, we’re all about this spiritual journey, helping each other move toward God.

I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for my church, and my pastor. I have learned a huge amount about God and my relationship with Him, through the church. And I cannot begin to imagine how people survive without a church or a personal relationship with God, especially in today’s world.

To seek the valley of easy victory is to miss life’s deepest meaning.

Henry David Gray

Enough Is Enough

And it will come to pass, when you become restless, that you will break the chain (yoke) your neck (Genesis 27:40).

Are you fed up with the enemy raising havoc in your life? Perhaps you are facing a situation that makes you want to shout enough is enough! That’s good, because when you’ve finally had enough of the constant battling in your life, you will throw off Satan’s chains.

I’ve learned that if things aren’t too bad, people have a tendency to tolerate or endure their troubles, thinking surely God understands what they are going through and He will eventually correct the problem. However, when they become desperate enough, then they will do whatever is necessary to free themselves from the situation.

God declared through the Prophet Isaiah, “shake yourself from the dust, arise… Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck” (Isaiah 52:2). Not only has He told us to free ourselves, He’s also given us the means to do it through His word.

The Word of God is not a defensive weapon; it is referred to as “the sword of the Spirit.” It is an attack weapon! The word is always available for us to use against our adversaries, but we have to be comfortable enough to pick it up and apply it.

We have to reach the point where we grow restless over what is happening to us (or our Nation). When we become uncomfortable enough we will rise up and use our authority in Jesus to throw off the enemies chains he has around us.

So declare today “enough is enough,” and rise up in the name of Jesus and begin to walk in the freedom that He has already given you.

Most people think someone else will fight for us in our situations and nations. But the fact is we have to fight for ourselves. No-one will do it for us.

Choose To Walk in freedom today.

Satan’s Plan Against You

“For Everything in the world- the luster of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:16.

Something I pray about on a regular basis is the God will give me keen awareness of the enemy’s plans and schemes against me. I want to be able to recognize his traps and avoid them. I have fallen for his traps abs schemes in the past but, I have decided that under no circumstances will I let him deceive me again. I will not let Satan win.

In reading the Bible I believe part of His answer came one day as I studied the account if Satan tempting Eve in Genesis 3 and the verse I mentioned above.

As I compared these passages. I have a serious epiphany about how Satan goes after us. These verses show us Satan’s 3-pronged plan of attack on our hearts. And it’s the same plan we see him using while tempting Jesus in the desert in Matthew 4:1-11. A fact that tells us while the enemy maybe very powerful he is also predictable.

Here is a closer look at Satan’s plan as revealed in Eve’s and Jesus’s account:

1. Make them crave some sort of physical gratification to the point they become preoccupied with it. Whether it is sex, drugs, alcohol, food or gambling.

Satan tempted Eve with fruit, which “was good for food” (Genesis 3:6).

Satan tempted Jesus while on a fast with bread. (Matthew 4:1-11).

Satan tempts us with whatever physical stimulation we are too preoccupied by – be eat taste, smell, sound, touch or sight. These things are good within boundaries where God meant for them to be enjoyed. But venture outside of God’s intention for them, and they become an attempt to try and get our needs met outside with will of God.

2. Make them want to acquire things to the point they bow down to the God of materialism. Keep them distracted by making their eyes lust after the shiny things of the world.

Satan tempted Eve by drawing her attention to what was, “pleasing to the eye” (Genesis 3:6).

Satan showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and told Him that He could have it all (Matthew 4:9).

Satan flashes the newer, bigger and seemingly better things of this world in front of us, trying to lure us into thinking we must have it. “This will make me fulfilled. This will make me happy.” And then it wears out, breaks down, gets old and reveals just how temporary every material thing is.

3. Make them boastful about what they have or do. Keep them distracted and obsessed with their status and significance. Choke the life out of them using the tentacles of their own pride.

Satan tempted Eve by promising an increased awareness which would make her become more like God.

Satan tempted Jesus by telling Him to throw Himself off the highest point of the temple, and then command the angels to save Him. This would impress everyone watching and certainly raise Jesus’s status and significance.

Likewise, Satan tempts us to try and elevate ourselves over others. We wrongly think we have to become something the world calls “worthy.” This creates a need within our flesh to have people notice us, commend us, revere us and stroke our pride. We then dare to boast about all we ate.

We must stop and remind ourselves that we don’t have to be held hostage by Satan. We have to be onto his schemes, and his power over us is nothing compared to the freeing promises of God.

Once we’re onto his schemes he will not be able to trap us anymore,

There is a huge difference between Eve’s response to Satan and Jesus’s response to Satan. Eve dialogued with Satan and allowed him to weave his tangled emotions of justifications. Jesus on the other hand, immediately quoted truth. With every temptation, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy as He answered, “It is written…’ and shut Satan down with the truth of God.

What will our response be?

It’s Our Choice.

Satan has no power over us except what we give him. Moment by moment, decision by decision, step by step – will we operate in God’s all-powerful truth or will we allow Satan to entangle us in his web of lies?