Leaving Mormonism and the "Fear of Success"

[_Mercury]

I think my biggest worry during my initial discovery phase efore I ditched Mormonism was that I was right. I was terrified to rip the band-aid off. Turning to face the blaring glare of reality was painful in the initial phase but then it was exhilarating due to the freeing nature of a flight from Mormonism.

Reflecting on my habits of procrastination, self doubt and other self-sabotaging efforts I wonder what the chances were that I took the plunge and left. I wonder what the chances were if my situation had played out differently. I know I am happier because of it though still.

Fear of the implanted fear was what I learned I was facing in reality. I had been led to believe that my questioning of the faith was constructed and nurtured by the fortress mentality endemic to Mormonism.

I am glad I succeeded on leaving Mormonism and my journey out of it helped me make an exit from other dogmatic and black/white systems of thought. Its a good model in my life to use as a yardstick for stress comparisons and the like.

Fear is only as powerful as your gut tells you. Fortunately us higher developed apes can control the fight or flight response. Learning to do so has been a constant task for me.

Enough pop psych. I have been working this morning on work i was procrastinating and It got me into the mood of discussing failure and the root causes.

Later Y'all!

[_harmony]

I think it's easier to do, if you place yourself, your needs, your wants, your happiness, your peace of mind ahead of everyone else's. And it helps if you take your spouse with you.

[_Tchild]

I think my biggest worry during my initial discovery phase efore I ditched Mormonism was that I was right. I was terrified to rip the band-aid off. Turning to face the blaring glare of reality was painful in the initial phase but then it was exhilarating due to the freeing nature of a flight from Mormonism.

That is most interesting. It is almost like our subconscious knows the truth about Mormonism, but our conscious fears and cultural conditioning won't let it shine forth...until the tipping point(s) occur. Then, it is almost like an epiphany, but in reality, it was simmering below the surface waiting for something to allow it (the doubts) to manifest.

Reflecting on my habits of procrastination, self doubt and other self-sabotaging efforts I wonder what the chances were that I took the plunge and left. I wonder what the chances were if my situation had played out differently. I know I am happier because of it though still.

Sometimes I wonder how I made it out. The universe was hard at work tyring to shake me out of the stupor of Mormon fear and indoctrination, and probably had to outsource to another universe for some help.

I am glad I succeeded on leaving Mormonism and my journey out of it helped me make an exit from other dogmatic and black/white systems of thought. Its a good model in my life to use as a yardstick for stress comparisons and the like.

Ditching the black/white dichtotomy and its limiting thinking processes is probably the most satisfying, enlightening and electrifying aspect of leaving Mormonism. It is like you mind breaks out of an artificial bubble of reality into the vastness of the real (well, whatever that is anyway).

A few nibbles of my ex-believer testimony.

[_Yoda]

I suppose that part of the reason I have managed to stay in Mormonism is because I have never been a black and white thinker.

I have approached Mormonism from the beginning in shades of gray.

I think I have always been a Cafeteria Mormon, but just had never heard the term until a few years ago.

I have always simply believed what made sense to me, and tge portions of the doctrine which seem cruel, such as polygamy, and judgmental allowances, I have just taken a stand against.