My 3 Biggest Fears and How I Plan to Overcome Them

Photo from Unsplash.com

Whether you celebrate Halloween or not, it's impossible to avoid the sights and sounds of the season.

Stores are filled with candy and costumes to thrill every trick or treating whim. Horror movies are on a constant stream on TV and pumpkins are on many doorsteps awaiting children who come to call. 

I can remember one Halloween night when I was younger, and some children came to the door for candy. It was after the early evening rush and some of the older kids were now making their rounds. 

The doorbell rang and after opening the door, there stood a tall kid in the infamous Scream Ghostface costume. My little brother (who must have been 3 or 4 at the time) saw the spooky face and yelled screaming and terrified, "Funny monkey! Funny monkey!"

While this was hilarious to most of us, the genuine terror on my little brother's face was real. For many years following this, he's had some night terrors - whether or not they stem from this experience is to be determined. One thing is for sure though, and that is that fear is real.

We're all afraid of something. 

Some of us are afraid of spiders, snakes, or the dark. 

Some of us are afraid of terrorism, getting sick, losing a loved one or the unknown. 

Some of us are afraid of fictional characters -  Chucky (this was me for many years), Norman Bates, or more recently, American Horror Story's The Butcher. We may even be scared of real life psychopaths (and for good reason).

It's okay to be scared. Fear is part of being human and part of our basic survival instincts. 

It's important however to recognize when your fear of ____________ is interfering with your life, and if it is to figure out a plan to change this. 

I'd like to share my 3 biggest fears with you, and my plans for overcoming these fears. While I know I can likely never erase the fear completely, I know I can prevent fear from controlling my life and keeping me from living.

1)  I am afraid of not having enough time.

I'm sure you can relate to this. After all, we're only given so many years and days and minutes in our lives. We don't have time to see everything or do everything there is to do (unless you're an immortal vampire). 

The first step to conquering this fear is to accept that your time is limited and one day you will be too old, too sick or too dead to do anything. Accepting this simple fact of life will bring you a great deal of peace. 

The second step to conquering this fear is to prioritize your life. 

Make a bucket list, and actually work on it. Don't make excuses such as "I'll do it one day" or "I'll go there one day". The time to live is while you're living. Don't let excuses such as family, work, etc. hold you back - work around them. 

Choose the things which are most important to you, and forget the rest. Pick a job that you're passionate about so it doesn't feel like work. Spend time doing things you love and take time every day to be grateful for the opportunities and time you have (so far) been given. 

2) I am afraid of not being heard, and being misunderstood. 

For some reason, this fear has plagued me for years - it's probably why I've become a writer and artist. 

I've had dreams where I've lost my voice and can literally not be heard. I've had dreams where I can repeat myself 100 times but the person will still not understand what I'm trying to say. I've had dreams where I've even tried to kill someone because they were physically dragging me down and not understanding. I'm always aware that I'm dreaming and the things in my dreams aren't real, but I still fight them (waste of a dream if you ask me!)

This fear stems mostly from situations with difficult people - people who don't quite have the same sense of reality or awareness that I do. 

It stems from feeling like I don't have a voice, or can't make a difference. 

It stems from seeing others who aren't being heard and knowing that I can't save the world. This is especially relevant when I see the violence and injustices in the world which I feel I can't directly help. 

This too unfortunately, is part of life. 

We can't save everyone. We can't make everyone understand us. The world is much too vast.

But this doesn't mean you don't have a voice. It doesn't mean you can't speak up when you see injustice - this is especially easier in today's technological world. We can connect and give light on bad situations and inspire people with our thoughts and actions. You do matter and you can change the world, slowly but surely. 

If you have this fear, I encourage you to write more, create art and find other healthy ways to communicate. Develop your communication skills and surround yourself with people who think the same way you do; there is power in numbers. 

Also be sure to remain open to new thoughts and ideas - just because something is different does not make it wrong. We all just want to be understood and have our feelings validated. 

3) I'm afraid of pain, gore and needles. And doctors.

Again, a basic human fear. There aren't too many people that don't have this fear to some degree. Being in any sort of pain isn't enjoyable and if the pain threatens our life, or is for reasons unknown then we have that to deal with as well. 

Being more exposed to your fear does help you conquer it. Maybe this is why my tolerance for gory and horrific movies has broadened over the years (catch last weeks episode of The Walking Dead, anyone?) This is in a way a perk (if there is any perks) of the desensitization of gore in North American culture. 

I'll admit, in the past I have cried and made a scene when I've had to get a needle. 

When I got my first bloodwork done as an adult, I had a friend go with me and still was a little theatrical. 

I've had a few more since then, and while the process makes me anxious and is uncomfortable, I've gotten better and better at dealing with needles. It really does make a difference when you bring a friend that is capable of distracting you during the procedure. I hope to one day, not need a friend there at all.

In regards to gore and doctors - I've been working on accepting that sickness and getting hurt is inevitable in life and the best action is preventative and educational measures.

I make many efforts to keep myself in good physical condition to avoid trips to the doctor when I can.

I read up on the human body, and occasionally watch clips of minor surgical procedures to understand heath care and the workings of the human body so as not to fear it. Knowledge is power.

What I find works best for this fear however is controlling my mind. There is no sense worrying over something that likely will never happen. If I have an anxious thought about something bad that could happen, I take that thought and tell myself that we can cross that bridge if we come to it.

Worrying about a fear of needles, doctors and gore doesn't help your health - it threatens it. Which is the whole thing we want to avoid in the first place!

We're all afraid of something but controlling that fear is essential to living a full and healthy life. 

As Halloween festivities come to a close in the next few days, I encourage you to do something truly scary - *look death in the face and say "not today". 

Pick a fear that you have, even if it's something minor and choose to face it. Consider where your fear stems from and how this fear could be affecting your life. Then choose to change it.

I accept my time is limited.

I will make the most of the time I have.

I have a voice and I can create change.

I am not a slave to my fears.

I choose peace over fear.

I choose to live.

Wishing you all a fear free and safe Halloween.

Best,

Brittany

(*Thanks Game of Thrones for the epic quote reference).

Taking the Scenic Route on an Autumn Adventure

This past weekend, the boyfriend and I decided to go on a spur-of-the-moment roadtrip through some of the small towns near Kitchener. With a full tank of gas and full bellies, we headed onto the open road seeking autumn and adventure.

We drove out to Erin, Ontario and through Alton and Orangeville area passing many farms and open pastures and saw many glimpses of rural life in the fall. We saw cows and sheep farms, old Victorian homes and churches, quaint inns and even a few mansions. One of my favourite things to see though were the barns.

After spending the past few years living in Toronto (originally a small town girl), I've developed a small obsession with barn photography and driving past farmsteads. I suppose they bring back some pleasant childhood memories visiting the farms of relatives - collecting eggs in the barn, family gatherings in the summer and the occasional horseback riding.

To me a barn represents a simpler life. It represents a re-connection with core values such as family, hard work, sustainable living and nature. A barn conjures up images of home cooked meals, days spent working in the garden, or quiet evenings on the porch. A barn represents home.

We had picked the perfect day for a road trip. The sun was shining, there were clouds in the sky and the trees were at their colourful, autumn peak. It was chilly but warm inside the car, and cozy inside our sweaters. The only thing missing was a cup of hot apple cider!

One of the highlights of the trip was when we met this adorable cat. She stopped beside the road and struck some poses for us. Isn't she photogenic?

We also stumbled across this gorgeous old property for sale. I'm not sure if the building is even habitable because it looks like it needs a lot of work - but it was so charming, and so old! It had a sunroom, an antique water pump, and woodstove inside - it looked very cozy.

I spent a few moments imagining myself living there and thinking about who may have lived there over the many years of its existence. I pictured myself sitting in the sunroom surrounded by plants, sipping on tea or knitting (#grandmavibes) or maybe chopping up wood for the stove to warm the little house for winter.

I wondered what the house might look like inside, and if it had the original wallpaper, and when it was first built. I also thought about contacting the realtor but...I'll wait until I win the lottery for this fixer upper.

I'm so grateful to have been able to experience autumn this way. Shoutout to my boyfriend for the drive, and to nature for being so damn gorgeous!

We have a few weeks of fall left, so if you're able to go out for a scenic walk/drive, I highly recommend it. Take some pictures, but don't forget to be in the moment too.

Feel the chilly air on your skin.
Smell the crisp, fresh scent in the air.
See the countless shades of yellows, greens, reds and oranges.
Listen to sounds around you - whether it's rustling leaves, bird songs or busy city sounds. 

Let yourself come alive in the moment and create a memory that will last forever.

Brittany
@simplylynne

How to Properly Read a Blog Post

If you're reading this, then chances are you're familiar with blog reading. But are you sure you're been reading them properly? 

Here's some tips to make the most of your blog reading and article surfing. 

Step one: Make yourself a cup of tea (or coffee).

Step two: Seat yourself in a comfortable position, preferably away from noise or other distractions. Grab a blanket as you see fit.

Step three: If you have a cat or a dog, feel free to invite them to come over and sit with you.

Step four: Read the article. No judgment will be made if you read aloud to your pet.

Step five: If you enjoyed the article, feel free to reread, bookmark or share with a friend! Bonus points if you leave a blog comment.

Step six: Make yourself another cup of tea. You deserve it!

Cheers,

Brittany
@simplylynne

A Tall Tale: The Treasure Hunt

"An old man gave us a map while we sat in a diner in a town which was unfamiliar to us. He told us that if we followed the map, we'd find treasure. We had no plans for the day, so we took his map with a smile and sense of adventure. 

The map lead us to the woods at the edge of town and for a moment I lost my breath. There before us was a blazing forest in bright sunlight and Technicolor.  

For a moment we forgot about work, and the emails we had to reply to, and the troubles we had. For a moment all we saw and heard and breathed was life; singular and simply, beautiful, life."
            
                                                                                                                                              - B. L. S. 

New Beginnings: Relaunching an Old Friend

After a very, very long hiatus, I'm back with plans to make Recycle of Life bigger and better than before.

If you're new to the brand, then welcome! I hope that you'll enjoy reading about my adventures and can take away some tips and inspiration to make your life more beautiful.

If you're an old friend, then thanks for stopping by again and welcome to the relaunch of Recycle of Life. There are some new good things coming your way!

Recently I've made some big, life changing decisions which lead me to this relaunch of both my blog and Etsy shop (still a work in progress). I up and quit what was for a while my dream job and moved out of the big city of Toronto without any official plans of what to do next.

While I enjoyed Toronto, I couldn't ignore the part of me that strongly desired to get the hell out of it. Toronto felt fast paced, noisy and crowded after several years - all of which distracted me from the life I desired most to live.

As it is, I've moved back to my small hometown in order to slow life down and focus for a while on the things that are most important to me. This includes visiting with my family and friends, spending more time in wide open spaces, drinking more tea and creating more art.

If I'm honest with you though, it's a little terrifying to be unemployed. There's some negative assumptions that can be made if you tell someone you're unemployed by choice - not to mention, the financial instability.

I know that financially I'm okay (for a while, anyways) however I can't seem to avoid the odd anxiety ridden thought which reminds me that I left a perfectly good job and financially secure position to move back home with no real plans. I mean, adults are supposed to have full time jobs and be starting their careers at my age, right?

Society has set these standards and I believe that choosing a different path does not mean you will be any less successful or happy in life. 

As for my fear of being unemployed, I am aware that this stems from my basic survival instincts - part of my mind worries that I won't have enough. I'm working hard at controlling this fear and have been constantly reminding myself that I've always been taken care of in the past (even when I'd hit rock bottom of my 25 years) and will continue to be taken care of throughout my life. Things always have a way of working out. There are lessons to be learned in every experience.

I'm working at reminding myself that my gifts are valuable and there is a plan for them. I'm working on finding these gifts, developing them and then finding ways to share them with the world. I'm working on trusting in the process and timing in life.

It's okay to be different than society demands.
Great things take time, effort and practice.
You are enough. You have enough.
I believe in you and your souls purpose.

Cheers to new beginnings!

Brittany
@simplylynne