Fear is Normal and Helpful

Appreciating Fear  

Snakes-Spiders-Heights-Flying-Being Alone-Social Settings-Failure-Conflict-Rejection-Low Blood Sugars-Success-Failure

Can you imagine how you would drive with no fear or too much fear?  A healthy level of fear gives us guidance; puts some caution in our approach; directs us away from danger.

Fear, defined by Wikipedia, is “an emotion induced by a perceived threat which causes entities to quickly pull far away from it and usually hide.” Side effects from pulling away from some of our fears may be: (1) feeling anxiety with the anticipation of having to face our fears, (2) missing out on opportunities which may promote growth and development, or (3) creating friction in our relationships as we hide from certain situation.

Psychology Today describes fear as a “vital response to physical and emotional danger.” And it is a necessity to feel this emotion to protect ourselves from legitimate threats. If we created a list of all of our fears, how many are legitimate threats?

We all enter this world with a positive perspective. We explore our environment like a fun playground, full of adventure and ready to conquer.  Unfortunately trauma and other bad experiences may trigger fear within us that we hold on to because we have not overcome such horrible experiences.

Ever look at the word FEAR like this:

Facing

Everything

Achieving

Results

If fear becomes overwhelming it may be considered anxiety. One strategy to address this problem is called systematic desensitization: “diminished emotional responsiveness to a negative or aversive stimulus after repeated exposure to it” (thanks Wiki). Exposure to our own personal fears or “demons” in a safe environment is an effective way to move past them.

Contact us today to receive coaching to more effectively work through your fears.