It seems that many people come up with New Year's resolutions in January and possibly 20% are still sticking to their goals come March. I have never intentionally set a goal for this very reason; I am too afraid to start something that I may not finish. This year was full of many ups and downs, personal wins, setbacks, opportunity, letdowns, surprises, and confusion. Although every year may be full of all these things, I am going to intentionally set a goal for the new year. I will overcome fear.

Why?

I have struggled with fear for the majority of my life. In fact, I do not remember a time in my life where I was completely fearless. Last year, I made conscious choices to win a few battles against fear, but this is a war, and this year I declare victory. I am tired of missing out on life because of what another person may think of me or because I may embarrass myself or get hurt. I refuse to sit on the sidelines and allow opportunity after opportunity to speed past me as I watch others running the race. I have my whole life ahead of me and I have feared enough in the past to last me the rest of my life. Why defeat fear? The better question is: Why live in fear?

How?

Defeating fear is no simple, mindless task; however, choosing to attack it is the beginning of the difficult process. First, I recognize that to get rid of fear, I will need to build up my identity. This includes knowing who you are, speaking life into yourself, and surrounding yourself with positive people. Take a moment to read my article on knowing your identity. Secondly, I will take captive my thoughts and actions. This is easier said than done, but nonetheless, possible. Every time I am presented with an opportunity, I will do my best to not let fear make my decisions for me. I am in charge of my life, not fear. Thirdly, I will replace it with love. Anything removed must be replaced with something or else the former object will eventually take hold again. Fear is best combated with love because love is an absence of fear. When you fear, you are not trusting yourself, God, or others, whereas, when you do trust, it is because you love or feel loved. I will choose to love others enough to give them a chance and not fear their ridicule. I will love God enough to trust that He has my best interest in mind and will protect me according to His will. I will love myself enough to fight against fear and come out victorious.

This is not simply a resolution for the new year; this is a promise to myself for the rest of my life. This year, I will overcome fear and learn to love instead.