Conversations With God Excerpt

Here`s another sneak peek at my up coming addition to my Truth Seekers Series. These excerpts are actual entries from my personal faith journals over the years. They show various moment on my life's path as I work out my faith with fear and trembling. As I engaged with Abba in relationship, through Jesus, as I learn to hear His Voice and be moved by the Holy Spirit. My desire would be that you find hope and comfort, maybe a verse or a word of wisdom for your own journey. May you be rischly blessed in the Lord.

6-12-07

Self-discovery and Dealing with Anxiety

Self-disclosure - Revealing something to another, or others that no one knows –

This is a type of ‘cleaning out of one’s closet’.

I’m learning how to listen to others better, to listen to their heart and recognize their pain and allow myself to relate and share my own pain, while allowing others in to be a comfort as well as being available to be a comfort to others. To be in deep, personal, intimate, non-sexual, real connection. Learning how to overcome the fear of intimacy and open up.

I am aware that I am not the only individual to deal with this issue so I would love to share some helpful ways to minimize the anxiety and detrimental impact this can have on one’s life. Bottling up things will NEVER help, it can drive you crazy! Here are some things that can help relieve and aid in me with self-disclosure.

1. Auto-biography – represents your history, describes your roots and experiences. It is important to explore this, childhood through adult journey of self-discovery, even if you are still in process. Be sure to record both good and bad memories.

2. Journaling – Thought and feeling, and action are written down in order to pay attention and see where you are. Include situations feelings and thoughts of what I did in that situation.

3. Make periodic ‘thinking reports’ – this will establish a habit of being aware of and paying attention to thoughts, feelings, and actions. This will also reveal patterns of unhealthy thinking. One of the first steps to taking back your mind, to tearing down strongholds is to pay attention to thoughts. Being aware of the things that you say to yourself and what you feel in that moment. These negative thoughts may follow a situation that did not turn out the way you wanted. Write a brief description of the situation you experience and follow that with a list of the thoughts and feelings you had at that time. Follow this with an attitude check and beliefs about the situation that may not be based on TRUTH.