As humans, experiencing fear is extremely unpleasant. However scientifically, fear is our brain’s way of protecting our physical well-being in dangerous situations. While our ancestors, the cave-people, may have relied on this emotion to stay clear of the wooly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and dire wolves patrolling their land, we don’t have quite the same survival needs today—unless, of course, you find yourself stranded in the Amazon, or you can’t seem to follow simple directions and you get totally turned around on a well-traveled hiking trail. Yeah, I’ve never done that either.
So since humankind has evolved, and we don’t need fear to protect us while we hunt for food at the local target, why do we still experience it? Sure, it helps us know not to touch that hot stove again, or that walking along the precipice of a 20 story building isn’t the best choice. But typically, fear doesn’t always know its boundaries.
One common, and often unnecessary, fear that people experience is the unknown—you know, big life changes, risky business moves, death, and high school. So even though these things are either unavoidable, generally harmless, or necessary for growth, why do they still make us reapply antiperspirant 10 times a day? Well my anxious little friend, your brain thinks it’s doing you a favor. Seriously, the best of intentions are there—they’re just a little misplaced.
So, even though fear has the potential to cause more harm than good, here are some reasons why you might want to consider embracing this fickle human emotion .
Your personal growth will be unstoppable
Think back to a time when you were terrified to do something. Maybe it was giving a presentation in front of a group of people, or it was starting a new job, or maybe it was jumping out of a plane. I’m sure that after you pushed past the fear telling you all of the things that could go wrong, and you dove into the unknown, you felt a sense of relief. Chances are, the world around you didn’t implode like you thought it would. I don’t know about you, but every time I conquer what seems to be the impossible, I always feel like an unstoppable superhero.
You’re training your fear response
Every time you resist your fear response, you’re actually training your brain to disassociate fear from that stressor.
Remember the fist time you were tall enough to get on the BIG rollercoaster? You excitedly buckled yourself into your car, but then the butterflies in your tummy seemed to procreate like rabbits. Then, during that long trek to the top of the reallyyyy tall hill—it definitely didn’t look that high from the ground—you began contemplating your life choices. After you crested the top of the hill, you began free-falling to your death–or what you thought was your death in that moment. By the end of the ride, however, you were probably laughing, full of excitement, and ready to do it again. In the rollercoaster rides to come, your fear began trickling away, leaving joy and excitement in its place.
The more you face fear and realize that none of your catastrophic thoughts are likely to come true, the less likely your nervous system is to spaz out. Unfortunately this one is like growing pains–you’re going to have to go through a lot of discomfort, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
You’ll Never Know Unless You Try
Logically, most of us know when a fear response is legitimate, in that it’s actually protecting us from something life threatening. If the unknown is what’s causing you stress or fear, you might as well just give it a go. Obviously, depending on the risk associated with the thing you’re fearing, make sure to weigh the pros and cons. But if you want to make a career change, move across the country, or start up a rock band, you might as well just dive in. You’ll never know what could be waiting for you on the other side of fear.
No one makes it out alive
One of the toughest pills to swallow is that none of us are immortal–unless you happen to be a vampire, in which case send me message. I’d love to chat. If you’re like me, the fear of regret is major. The thought of looking back on my life and wishing I had tried this or done that is more than I can bear to think about. This particular fear is something that I try to keep in mind when other fears are telling me to stay on my safe, comfortable, well-lit path. This is a decision that only you can make–does your fear need to be conquered in order to live a rich and fulfilled life?
Fear’s here to stay, time to get acquainted
You know what they say, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! The reality of it is that no matter how good you are at pushing through fear, it will always be there. Without it, we wouldn’t thrive. Not only does it help protect us physically, but it truly does help us grow. So, instead of focusing on working through all of your fears and vowing to never stress about ridiculous things again, try to embrace the fact that you’re always going to experience fear. Without it, some of the best moments of our lives would no doubt be a little duller.
Never forget, you’re in charge
No matter how you deal with stressful or fearful situations, the fact of the matter is you’re in charge. You do have the ability to control your thoughts, and you also have the choice to not let fear control you. Fear is an emotional response, but as a human, you’re also capable of logic. The key here is to let the two work together. Hear what your fear response is telling you, then use your logical brain to determine whether or not there’s any evidence to back up this emotion. Then, after you’ve assessed both sides, YOU determine how to want to proceed. It may seem like fear has control over you, but you’re allowed to take back that control anytime you want.
Thnx!