The Good and Bad of Fear
Fear is only a mask in front of something greater to step into.
–Eileen Bild
Fear is one of our most powerful emotions and it can either be an asset or our worst enemy.
In the case of everyday living, fear plays a part in keeping us safe, from harming ourselves and from danger. In our professional world, fear can hinder us, make us feel weak, disempower us, prevent us from reaching our set intentions, be the difference between success and failure, and cause tension among our co-workers and boss. In our personal relationships, it can be the determining factor of the strength in a cooperative partnership that will either grow or create an unhealthy environment ending in either being too toxic or a tragic experience.
There is a saying:
F– False
E– Evidence
A– Appearing
R– Real
When we completely understand the significance of this statement, we can remove fear from our equation when it comes to people, events and experiences that hold us back.
In the past, when fear has become an enemy of mine, I would spiral down and feel the weight of its pressure. The grip it takes can be suffocating and debilitating. The good news is, we can be friends with fear in a way that it guides us to become strong, resilient and empowered.
Facing the fear head on allows us to acknowledge the presence of this fear and then take steps to transform the fear into something greater. It is a catalyst for the freedom we desire when in the cage of fear.
To be where I am today, I have had to overcome and take the mask of fear of. The fear of rejection and what will people think were a couple of my major blocks. As my self-worth and self-confidence grew stronger, the idea that I could not be who I wanted to be or do what I wanted to do was eliminated. In its place, an intention was set to live life on my terms and create the experiences I wished to enjoy. As a result, fear is no longer a powerhouse in my mind creating false truths, instead, I have carved a path of success that is also of benefit for others.
It seems too many people are living from fear causing an epidemic of unhappy relationships, work environments, communities, and larger societies. We could say the world is falling apart, yet to be rebuilt from a more robust and substantial foundation.
I believe we are all here to live life in harmony and through cooperating together, there is no need for fear. Instead of toxic exchanges, we can give a hand up always striving to be of value to ourselves and our fellow traveler in the game of life.
See fear as something you may hold close by your side or tight in your hands, but you have the power to set it free. The doors will open and a whole new world begins to take shape, giving you hope, joy, peace, and happiness.
Eileen,
I second you on this. You’ve mentioned it so very aptly – ‘It can either be an asset or our worst enemy’.
I would view fear akin to Eustress vs Distress. Fear too evokes 2 distinctly contrastive emotional responses: Being Afraid vs Being Scared.
– Being Afraid is to recognize ones own limited capacity, being realistic about the potential threats, working towards the enhancement of our potential capabilities and getting rid of the tabooing limits.
– Being Scared is to give in to the paranoia and allowing ones perception to be completely overshadowed by a threat of an individual or a given phenomena. Being scared is dangerous and toxic and is to be avoided at all costs.
Awesome musing!
Keep Shining …
Rajat
Rajat,
Glad you love this musing! Good description of fear vs. being scared. I can see your points of view. Thank you for sharing!!
Cheers!
Eileen
Facing the fear head on allows us to acknowledge the presence of this fear and then take steps to transform the fear into something greater. It is a catalyst for the freedom we desire when in the cage of fear. Absolutely love this my friend. Be Bold, Be Fearless, Be a dragon slayer
Thank you Larry!