Breaking the Bad Habits of Low Self-Esteem With God's Love

Bad Habit #5- Derailing chances of success/happiness

The next bad habit I've noticed is that people who hate themselves tend to derail their chances of success and happiness. They don't go for the things they want, they hardly take risks in life, and are afraid of being happy. When people do this, they obviously get nowhere in life. They do this because they are afraid of failure and have no confidence that they can achieve the things they want. They look at what they want to achieve and what it takes to achieve it, find it daunting, then run away, thinking they are incapable of doing what it takes. They are also afraid of being happy because they are afraid they don't deserve it or they must be doing something wrong if they are happy. They were probably taught that being happy means they're not working hard enough and they need to stop goofing around and grow up. They have associated having fun and being happy with being lazy or unproductive, and think that one can not enjoy work.

I'm honestly still working on this one myself. I had been chasing down a special education teaching credential for a long time now, but that license kept getting ten steps ahead of me and I just could not keep up. Then I realized I was chasing something I didn't really want because it was less risky and stable. What I really wanted to do was write, but of course I suppressed that dream so well it was hidden within the deep, dark canyons of my mind. When my husband mentioned that I could possibly make a living off of a blog, I was excited, but still unsure, because making money from a blog means doing business, and I never thought I was very much of a business person. But I wanted it bad enough that I dipped my toe in it, and now I'm diving into it. I honestly find it exciting to network with other thinkers, writers, and other people. I'm honestly glad I took this risk, but I couldn't have done it without an immense amount of courage, hard work and dedication, and faith. 

It is God that will give you the power and the strength to succeed. You just need to have faith that he will carry you where you yourself can not go. With God, all things are possible! You can leap over chasms with him. It says in Isaiah "Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31, NLT). Now this is where I must write a disclaimer: I DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT believe that God will hand you everything if you "just believe". I believe God has already given you opportunities, but you have to find those opportunities and take them for yourself. 

I know you've probably gotten into the habit of telling yourself "I can't" or "what if I fail?" But I challenge you to challenge that voice. The next time you hear that voice that says, "you can't" ask it, "but what if I can? How can you prove I can't if I haven't even tried yet? Isn't there another way to look at this task?" You see, God didn't create us for no reason. He created us to serve him in a unique, special way and in turn, bring him glory. Trust me, it's not as dreary as it may sound. He gave us all certain passions and talents so we can use those passions to make a contribution to this world. Some people have a passion for animals and become amazing vets or zookeepers. Some people have a passion for business and economics, such as my husband, and end up becoming awesome real estate agents. Others have a passion for cooking and become great chefs. However, these people wouldn't be able to live to their full potential if they continued to doubt themselves. God gave you a talent and passion to use to make a contribution to this world. Don't lose that passion when going for the things you want in life. That passion is what's going to keep you motivated and with motivation comes confidence. The funny thing about confidence is that it actually energizes you and makes anything you are doing more enjoyable, which is why it greatly increases your chances of success. You can be successful, and you can be happy! There is nothing wrong with being happy, and anyone who tells you otherwise is probably miserable. Now it's true you're not going to be happy all the time, but there is something wrong if you are always miserable and never happy. While working hard to achieve the things you want in life, don't forget to take time to rest and have fun! You're not being lazy when you take the time to have fun; you are taking care of yourself, which is a very important thing to do. Don't derail your chances to be successful and happy.