Living Life Your Way....Interview with Eva

I've been working hard the last few months at overcoming my fears and following my dreams. So I'm running a series of interview with inspiring people to see what part fear has played in their life and how they've overcome it to live life their way...

This weeks interview is with Eva from Lovers in a Dangerous Time

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Hey! Tell us a little about yourself.

Thank you so much Polly for inviting me to do this feature! I think it's such a great idea.  A little about me...I'm a newly-wed, married July 2009, to my husband Nathan. We recently picked up and moved with our little kitty Conan from Vancouver, B.C to a nearby small town. Currently I'm a "school-at-home-wife", studying to be a Medical Transcriptionist.

I started blogging about 7 months before we moved, so my blog (http://bottleblack.blogspot.com) chronicles that transition, as well as snippets from our daily lives.


 
*Is the life you lead now the life you've always dreamt of?
 
In many ways, yes! I'm married to the man I dreamt of marrying, I got to live (for a while) in the city I always dreamt of living in, and I have great, close relationships with my family and friends.

Of course there is always more I am striving for, and dreaming of. For example, I have always wanted to be a mom! And I hope to be able to travel more some day. My anxiety is also not part of the life I imagined for myself.

 

*When you have faced difficulties, what has been your inspiration to keep going?


Well it's kind of heavy, but when I was depressed, the knowledge that there is life after death was huge to me. As a Christian I believe this life, and the pain and hurt and trials that come with it, is not all there is. However, we should still strive to make it the best possible life for ourselves and others, right here and now.  Also, the knowledge that life is so dynamic, always changing. So what might feel like the hardest weeks or months of your life will not always be that way. Things WILL change, if we just get through it. One saying I love is, "head down and power through".

*Fear affects us all at some point. What part has fear played in your life and how have you overcome it?

Fear unfortunately plays a huge part in my life right now. I have a social anxiety disorder, and it pretty much affects all aspects of my life. I am often not able to just go out and enjoy myself, go on trips, meet new people, etc without experiencing strong anxiety and a "fight or flight" reaction. This has affected my work life, my school life, my relationship with my husband, family, and friends. It often causes me to feel general anxiety about everyday life too, for example, fearing car accidents, natural disasters, or illness. 

I wouldn't say that I have overcome this by any means. I am working on it, all the time.What really helps is the fast-acting anxiety medication that I have been prescribed. Also, nudging my comfort zone and forcing myself to take small steps, as uncomfortable as they may be, is important as well. For general anxiety, what really helped me is avoiding watching or listening to the news. This may seem like voluntary ignorance, but it's what works for me. The fear-mongering they pump out really gets to me.
*What advice would you offer on following your heart and living your dreams?

 

Learn to love yourself, and really know yourself. That is something I'm working on right now. I feel like once you have self-acceptance, you can boldly follow where your heart leads you. 

Also, find a job that you enjoy. Don't stay where you're unhappy. Be spontaneous and romantic. I've never regretted being that way, but I do regret it when I'm not.

As a side note, I must say I feel very blessed to have the life that I do. A big part of following your heart is realizing all that you have here and now. It just might be what you were dreaming of all along!

*What do you think are the three most important things you need to lead a happy and radiant life?

I would say acceptance of what we can't change about ourselves/our circumstances, being as healthy as we can be physically, spiritually and emotionally, and be able to find joy in the simple things. That's what life is all about really...those simple moments and pleasures :)

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