Tag: fear

Categories
motivation

Just Start, End, Restart

Cartoon of a grandfather and grandson on a roller coaster.

We’re all scared to start something. The fear of starting is often more terrifying than the action we dread. We spend too much time fretting whether we can do it right than actually doing the work.

We’ve all been there. To tell you the truth, I’ve been shell shocked since my wife stepped away from ministry this year. Apparently, he wanted to get her out before COVID-19 hit. Who would have thought this year would be such an upside-down, topsy-turvy roller coaster ride? I hope no one was eating before the middle of March 2020. We’ve all had motion sickness since then.

Cartoon of a grandfather and grandson on a roller coaster.

I took a leap of faith five years ago. We made a journey of two thousand miles when she had a job offer and returned after a year. And then we took a leap of faith when she ended her employment in December 2019. We are still determining what’s next.


It’s been difficult to think about restarting. But the alternative is to find a nice little corner, get in the fetal position and decide which thumb to suck (since I’m left-handed, I prefer that right thumb, so I can draw at the same time). Hey! Who hasn’t done that this year? This was a lousy year to stop the thumb-sucking habit.

So today, we restart again. It is better to say a little something than to keep quiet and never start. It’s time to joke again, laugh again, and to be unashamed of shedding a tear or two. After all, living happens between the star, restart, and finish. It’s a shame to never start, and as a result, never live.

Categories
motivation

Worry, the Joy Robber

There is certainly no shortage of things to worry about today. Security of any kind feels like it’s in short supply. What seemed like a sure thing at the beginning of 2020 is a distant memory four months later.

Many of us have time on our hands, thanks to no commuting, travel or group activities. This week would have been busy for my wife and me because, well, it’s the week before Easter. But now, we have plenty of time wondering what we would have been doing if things were out and about.

Worry is counter-productive. It not only robs us of joy, but also creativity, hope, productivity, and well-being. It takes responsibility to improve things out of our hands and puts it in the hands of governments and institutions that are frankly struggling too.

If you find yourself worrying today, turn off the news, start finding some things to be grateful for, and ask what this makes possible. Start envisioning a future where you are on the other side of this crisis and are better for it. We will learn from this season. And remember, it’s only a season. Things will change. They will one day change for the better.

Quote: "Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy." Leo Buscaglia
www.brainyquote.com/s/a_1a827

Categories
motivation

Is Any Time a Good Time For a Good Scare?

Cartoon of a girl and a ghost

I’ve never been much of a horror movie fan. The term good scare sounds like an oxymoron to me. With all the news about pandemics and quarantines these days, I’m in even less of a mood for a good scare.

I’ve had to take some breaks from the news lately. Yet, I’ve also wanted to stay informed. It is possible to do both. Much of the news can be condensed to one half-hour segment. We don’t need to be immersed in all of the updates 24/7.

No time is a good time for a good scare. This isn’t a convenient time. But since we are in a crisis, there are some things you and I can do to balance the bad news.

  • Go on a media fast for the morning. Don’t start your day with the news, until you’ve had a chance to get your bearings for the morning.
  • Read some inspirational material before you begin your day. a paper version would be better since you won’t be distracted by news alerts.
  • Spend some time in prayer or meditation.
  • Text or call a friend and let them know how much you appreciate them.
  • Write a gratitude list.
  • If you’re working from home, get showered and dressed as if you were leaving for work.

There are many things we can’t control. But we can control how we start our day and what goes into our minds. Nix the scary stuff first thing in the morning.

Cartoon of a girl and a ghost

Categories
children cartoons K! Magazine Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine

Do You Have the Courage to Go Out There?

Cartoon of two boys talking. One says, "There's an excessive pollen warning for this area, and they're taking us outdoors. Don't they care about severe weather warnings?"
Previously published in "K! Kidzmatter Magazine"

There are warning signs that are legitimate. As I write this, we are experiencing the beginnings of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 spread in the United States. It would be foolish to ignore the warnings such as those broadcast by the World Health Organization:

  • Wash your hands frequently
  • Cough into your bent elbow
  • Don’t travel to places that are in the midst of the outbreak

At the same time, there can be a lot of misinformation out there. And if you spend enough time on the Internet, you will find warnings that are overly cautious or just plain wrong.

When I drew this cartoon, I thought about how we can get overly cautious. It’s true that pollen can really mess with people. I’ve had hay fever over the years and I am not a fan of the time of year when goldenrod is in full bloom. Still, for most people, it’s not a severe weather event.

There are times when it takes courage to go out there into the world. It remains to be seen if all the conferences that are getting canceled due to COVID-19 are legitimate or overkill. We won’t know the full impact until much later. But in the meantime, we need to keep living and do the activities that make life full.

How are you handling this outbreak and all the warnings? Let us know in the comments.

Cartoon of two boys talking. One says, "There's an excessive pollen warning for this area, and they're taking us outdoors. Don't they care about severe weather warnings?"
Previously published in “K! Kidzmatter Magazine”
Categories
Marketing motivation

Marketing Doom and Gloom

Cartoon of two boys on a trail. a signpost says, "Trail of Doom." A boy says, "If they want me to take it, they should use better marketing."

The concept of haunted houses and trails of terror mystifies me. What is it about humans that we want to seek out danger and fear while avoiding it at the same time? In other words, why is marketing doom and gloom so successful?

The boy in my cartoon assumes the marketing isn’t working for him. He has no interest in something suggesting a bad ending. Yet, experience suggests it’s exactly that kind of marketing that makes the most impact. 

  • We gravitate towards the news items with disaster footage and crime
  • The headline format that states the story then adds a line like and why this should scare you, gets a lot of clicks
  • We tend to demonize someone who doesn’t agree with us

Personally, I like good news stories. I want something uplifting that challenges the belief that the world is going to pot. The other kind of marketing may get a lot of attention. But thoughtful media and marketing that inspires and motivates us to be better, now that is a challenge that is well worth rising up to!

So my advice is to cast our anxieties aside and to stay away from marketing doom and gloom!

Cartoon of two boys on a trail. a signpost says, "Trail of Doom." A boy says, "If they want me to take it, they should use better marketing."