It is usual to shy away from the issues we don’t want to deal with, but what about the parts of us we’re afraid to look at?
Running away
What is it we’re running away from? We need to ask ourselves why we’re afraid and what are we fearful about? The fear of fear causes us more problems than fear itself. Fear is an anxious feeling, a biological reaction. The same reaction we may get going into an interview or going into the headmaster’s office.
Fear is information
But fear is also information. It offers us knowledge about ourselves, an understanding. We need to think about fear in the wider context of our lives and not in a particular circumstance. We need to be comfortable with ourselves.
We run from 'fear'
We run from fear, when it is induced by a threat or danger, and that causes physiological and behavioural changes. But it's important to look at the parts of us we’re afraid to look at. People live with fear continually, others only when they have something they have to deal with – that takes them out of their comfort zone.
How fear is regulated
We see fear as either rational and appropriate ,or irrational and inappropriate. The more we are able to move away from fear, the more rational we see what we fear. Irrational fear is a phobia. It is something that stays irrational until we make it rational.
We're afraid to look at 'fear'
Fear is the biggest part of us we are afraid to look at. Fears that are irrational have a marked effect on our mental, emotional and physical state. The less fear we have, the more we will begin to feel comfortable in ourselves.
I used to pull back from things that I most feared. But then one day I was thrust into something I couldn't get out of, so I stood there and faced fear directly. It was me all alone against this monster.
Today I consider myself one of the best public speakers I know, only because I bravely confronted fear that precious scary day.
Thanks Tim. Yes, without facing our fear, we will stagnate and will fail to emotionally and spiritually grow. You have done both.
The sad reality for most of us if that we're living other people's lives. I think that also has a bearing on how we see ourselves physically too.
The more we step out of the shadows and confront our fears, the more we become at one with ourselves, mentally, emotionally and physically.