The Thief of Dreams

When we hear the word theft, bad thoughts come to mind.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines theft as the following:

“The act of stealing, specifically, the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it.”

Theft can also take on an even deeper meaning, such as the emotional act of stealing someone’s heart.

The interesting thing is that most of us have experienced personal theft in our lives and are not fully aware that this has even happened.  Not necessarily the theft of physical things but of something much more significant.  Many of us have had our hopes and dreams stollen.  What’s even more disconcerting is the fact that the act of theft was committed by ourselves.

You may be perplexed, wondering how is this possible?

The reality is that many of us have chosen to allow theft in our lives in the form of fear.  We have allowed fear to control us and steal from us.  Many of us may have experienced some of the following fears:

The fear of failure

The fear of rejection

The fear of making a poor choice

The fear of driving

The fear of not be accepted

The fear of moving on

The fear of being picked on or mocked for being different

The list of fears that we can experience in our lifetime is very long and practically endless. 

Fear certainly has a place in our lives and is designed to keep us safe.  However, there is a significant difference between real fear, such as a wild animal approaching that may harm you and perceived fear.  The fear that something may happen. 

The question is, why are we allowing fear to have so much power over us? Why are we catering to our fears?

When an individual allows fear to control their choices or decisions, they may be giving up on some of the greatest moments, experiences and achievements that life has to offer. 

Can you imagine if everyone was controlled by their fears.  A potentially great author may never publish a written word for fear of rejection.  A person aspiring to be a doctor may never go to medical school for fear that they may fail a patient someday.

So, the next time you’re in the position to make a significant life choice, assess your level of fear.

Is fear playing a significant role in your decision, and if so, you may be allowing fear to steal from you. 

Fear may be stealing your choices, experiences, accomplishments, future relationships and possibly your dreams.