Facing the difficult challenges
We all know that fear is a protective mechanism that can help to protect us from unnecessary harm. However, excessive fear can make it difficult or even impossible to achieve some of our dreams. There was a lady who had an overwhelming fear of spiders, but one day she went to a restaurant where tarantulas were on the menu. That day she did not only face her fears; she also devoured it. Doing the thing, she feared helped her to overcome the limitations of that fear. The inescapable reality of the matter is that the majority of our fears never materialize.
Energy flows where attention goes, and therefore when we continuously focus on the things which we fear, then very little energy is left over to focus on the things we need to accomplish. It is like the unreasonable fear which people have that the plane is going to cash however, when we look at the available statistics, our chances are a lot better to die in a vehicle crash on to die as a pedestrian.
Many people are always afraid of what other people might think of them when the reality is that the only really important thing is what do you think. It is not the things that happen to me in my life that determine my destiny, but rather it is my response to those things which happen that make the difference.
Living your fear
I know a person who was very afraid of ghosts and spirits, but then he stayed in a home for several months and directly under his bed, and under the carpet was a yellow stain where a previous owner has committed suicide. If there is one place where there should undoubtedly be the presence of spirits, then certainly, it should be in a room where the spilled blood of that deceased person can still be seen.
Nevertheless, that experience gave him a completely new outlook on the spirit world. Many people are terrified of snakes and spiders, but who will then go to a zoo and allow snakes or spiders to be placed in their hands or around their bodies. Even though they retain a healthy respect for snakes and spiders, they will never again have that unreasonable fear. Likewise, many people are very afraid of sharks and other forms of marine life, who will go on excursions such as shark cage expeditions where nothing more than a steel cage separates them from vicious sea monsters.
Sure, the danger always remains, but since they have been so close to the things which they fear, it changes their perspective forever.
The law of possibility
Statistically, a very small number of the things which we fear will ever become realities. Just think about it if we were just as bad when it comes to predictions in our workplace, then management would be left with no choice but to fire us.
Likewise, people have so many stupid beliefs and unrealistic fantasies in their minds, and all of those things are becoming stumbling blocks on our journey to success. Some people have made it their mission in life to do all of those things of which they are afraid.
Eleanor Roosevelt was quoted as saying, “you gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You can say to yourself, I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
Overcoming all the scary things in your life can help a person to grow. It is simply undeniable that magical things happen when people are outside of their comfort zone. You see, children grow up hearing, don’t touch, be careful, and you’re going to get hurt, and when they become grown-ups, they sometimes continue to be limited by all of that negative programming.
Protection or limitation?
Certainly, a proper and correct application of fear can be an effective way to avoid unnecessary injury. Nevertheless, when we come into a habit where we continually frighten ourselves, it is counterproductive and will limit our potential. It, therefore, makes sense scientifically and logically to do the thing you fear because doing so can help you to expand your boundaries.
There was the story about the young soldier who has learned to be victorious over fear by merely asking his fear of how something could be done. The response is very interesting because fear then says, “my primary weapon is that I talk fast, and I get very close to your face. Then you get completely unnerved, and you do whatever I say. If you don’t do what I tell you, I have no power. You can listen to me, and you can have respect for me. I can even convince you. But if you don’t do what I said, I have no power.”
The inescapable conclusion, therefore, is that fear is a bully. Whenever it tells you to do something, and you listen, fear gains power over you. Nevertheless, you have a choice in that you can acknowledge the things which fear might tell you, but when you do the job, you fear this can increase your coverage.
