15 Jul The Truth About Fear

Recently there has been a lot written about the emotion “fear.” Topics such as “how to live without fear, fearless living, be fearless” and many other books about fear. This poses the question “why would we want to live without fear?”  The point is; rather than living without fear, let’s acknowledge and understand it.  The reality is, fear serves a purpose and is part of the human condition.  Fear is actually hard-wired in our brains to help with the most basic need of our survival. Without it, we could have reduced inhibitions to the point of doing things in spite of the danger or consequences.  Fear helps us avoid taking potentially dangerous or risky decisions and that can be helpful!  Although when fear paralyzes us from getting what we need or want it can be destructive!  Fear is just another emotion!  It does not cause us to have an unhappy life, it’s how we deal with fear that can!  Examples of allowing fear to be destructive in our lives include: Avoiding situations that have a “perceived” threat of pain or punishment.  A perceived threat is fear of what you think might happen without real proof to back it up.  Avoiding situations where we “could” fail. Feeling fearful about the possibility of failure can keep us from doing what we need or want to do. Examples include finding a job, being assertive, and making decisions   Believing that fear is the equivalent of being weak or vulnerable.  This can lead us to unhealthy or unsafe life choices.  Think about how you deal with fear.  How does it work for you or against you?  Take some small risks and see.