This week we did a case study on Magdalena Yesil; what a remarkable woman, an individual from an early age with a fit solid conviction to follow his goals. She had the ability to filter those unproductive and opposing comments that would not benefit in any form or way to her and her path to reach her goals. Breaking thru the barriers of fear, intimidation and to the unknown, she was able to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. The fear of the unknown can be paralyzing, how can we overcome it? How can we move forward when our safety mechanism has been switched to the on position protecting us from moving ahead to the questionable unknown. Praying for strength, clarity of vision and fortitude may help us gain a clear understanding of those opportunities knocking at our door, with a clear mind, we can assess it will be the right task to persuade. How to be able to follow without losing your own identity? Those original ideas may worth someone else’s believes, twinning, and deviating from our own morals and values.
Facing my own paralyzing fear.
I have many fears still to confront, many of them may come due to insecurities. Years back I was unaware of my fear of heights until one day I decided to clean and change the kitchen ceiling fixtures and easily climbed at the kitchen counter; doing it so soon to realized my legs were shaky and I was petrified unable to move up or go down, I simply could not move, I waited there for almost six hours until my husband got back from work and with his help, I was able to crawl down, placed my knees on the kitchen counter as he leads me to get off the kitchen counter safely. I felt Inept, confused, frighten, and upset; my now aware phobia worsened as I was getting sweating chills and vertigo just by simply thinking about it. It was also obstructing my job ability back then as I worked in a medical office and charge of inventory control, requiring using the latter and short step stool in my workplace. I decided to tackle this issue and phobia head-on and in our next vacation decided to climb on a zip line all the way down from the Costa Rican jungle on more than seven trees some of them were up to three storage high, getting to the treetop platform was half of the job as reality hit my consciousness I noticed most of the people on the tour were men and my feet was refusing to walk as I started being behind the group; standing on a small platform upon a tree trunk, hanging on a rope midair took a lot of courage and prayers from me, I knew everything will be fine, I was just uncertain my heart will endure.
I conscientiously acknowledged the problem; the psychological issue was causing me as after that incident I got very afraid of climbing any basic three-step stool, I was getting vertigo and dizzy spells.
Something besides my fear guided me to do something drastic, I truly believe was the holy ghost and I just went for it as the opportunity presented. On the first tree I climbed, my horrified face, paralyzed with fear and dilated pupils can beautifully show on family pictures, after I climbed the first tree the feeling within was liberating, something changed inside me. I could look down and the fear dissipated almost miraculously.
You can see the pure terror in my eyes in this image!
The fear was real but something in me assured me all was going to be okay. As I stepped off the small flat platform into the air… I felt liberated, the fear was no longer there, I was up in the air gliding thru trees looking down to the canopy. Led by faith and listening to the whispers of the spirit I was able to surpass this phobia that was externalizing on physical plain making me ill. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the courage and strength to go thru a difficult situation.
Other questions lingering in my mind at this moment are: When is time to let go of a project or venture? When is the time to gain the courage r to walk away?
Elder Lynn G. Robbins in his speech “ Making a Living and a Life by” gave a beautiful message with so much inside and inspiration about how to make a living, a good and honest living, by searching about our true nature. He also mentioned in his speech: “More serious sins involve “others” “ pride, envy and destructive competitiveness; the pleasure to be above the rest, build a good and honest living, good works that positively bless out our community”.
It always puzzles me the relationship of men with money, since an early age I had heard people saying that money is evil, money is bad, is wrong to desire to have more. From a personal point of views, I think money doesn’t change people; money only exposes what people really are; I had seen people really showing their true self when reaching the point of money success, some become more egocentric with a superior attitude above others while other become more altruist doing and helping humanity in any form they can. It is really assertive to say: with success comes great responsibility, the responsibility to be a positive example for people around us and to give back in service, knowledge, and talents. The opportunity we have to get an education and better ourselves with secular and spiritual knowledge is a gift to prepare ourselves to help people who will cross our paths.
There is a great emphasis on this week about really look, pray and recognize our true selves, our true nature, and mission on this earth; what career will be followed, is that the one assigned for us or we are only following it because of the large amount of compensation we can receive. Our priorities had to be set and our values mark firmly to no device from the path. Distractions, temptations, and persuasions will arise but if remain true to our self, in constant communication with our Heavenly Father, we will know and be alert when these dangers approach us.
