My Weakness is Now my Superpower.

I have officially been at college for 3 weeks…what?! I feel like I just got here but I also feel like I have been here my entire life. It’s a strange feeling. I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my well-being and this week I had some powerful realizations of what I really want for my life. One of the biggest stressors and anxiety-creators in my life right now is the concept of the “unknown”. If we think about it, 99% of our lives are “unknown”. We never know what the next hour holds, or the next day, or the next year. To be scared of the “unknown” is to essentially be scared of life itself which does not sound all that enjoyable if you ask me.

Anxiety is something I have struggle with for years now and I realized that almost all of my anxiety is because of me not knowing what is going to happen. I get freaked out when I think about my future. “I have years left of school before I get a good job.” “What if I pick a career that I don’t like?” Thoughts like these consume my mind almost every day.

But this past Monday, I was in the IM building at 4:00 in the Cardio #3 room. I was honestly dreading my workout and wasn’t really feeling like breaking a sweat. I hoped on an elliptical and was immediately consumed by “what if” thought and thinking about the unknown. When I took a minute to look down at machine, I had already done a full mile. I was shocked! “Did I really already complete a mile?” I asked myself. I realized I was so anxious and worried by all of the unnecessary thoughts going through my head that I was working out hard. I had so much pent-up anger and energy and to use that energy for exercise felt amazing.

I walked from the gym back to my dorm that day in a really great mood. I felt AMAZING! I not only got a great workout in and nourished my body, but I also “let go” of a lot of anxious thoughts. The only way I can describe it is I felt free! My head was so clear and I had several realizations about how stupid it was to think about the future and the unknown. Everything will happen how it’s supposed to and there is no reason for me to worry about how it will all pan out. After all, God is in control and His plan is perfect. If you read this far, here is some homework I have for you: name one thing that you are stressed out about in your life right now. Then ask yourself the question “is there anything I can do right now to take care of that stressor?” If there is, great! Do it! But if there’s not, find a way to let it go.