DOES FEAR ALLOW YOU TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR PURPOSES IN LIFE?
Fear. People are fascinated by it and driven towards it. Like fire, people creep to the edge of fear testing their threshold. Scary movies, books and theme parks are among just a few examples of how the multi-billion dollar fear industry taps into this curiosity.
This subject of how fear can place a person in mental bondage is different from our engrained instinct towards fight or flight when presented with a sudden perceived threat. However, even this survival response can be conditioned by the mind to react in irrational ways. The emotion of fear places blinders that cripple the mind from:
- Creative thought and expression
- Exploring and discovering truth
- Recognizing opportunities
- Taking action
- Long term commitments
- Setting and achieving goals
According to an article printed on January 1, 2005, by Harvard Medical School Health Publications, we are born with only two fears:
- Fear of falling
- Fear of loud noises
Therefore, all other fears are learned behaviors that can be traced back to an origin. Perhaps it was a traumatic event or an opinion you heard. When Balanced Edge takes a family or group on an adventure we are commonly confronted with fears of heights, animals, “creepy-crawlies”, and dark spaces.
Fears are beliefs, and a belief is like a seed. It sits for a time with little consequence. Then, it begins to germinate. With each passing day, it continues to grow and mature until it becomes a vine that envelops its host. It becomes a lifestyle.
And, it gets worse. Fear is also a contagion that is passed on through the words of others who desire to share this emotion. Kids and the elderly are at the most risk of this debilitating process.
The bondage of fear is great and directly affects your:
- Capacity to love
- Impulse to trust others
- Beliefs
- Behaviors
- Actions
- Ability to communicate your feelings
- Ability to be decisive without hesitation
It forces those afflicted by fear into indecision and doubt. It compels the mind to believe opinions rather than searching for facts. Yes- fear comes at a high price, as it becomes the captain of your choices, lifestyle, and future.
The good news is that these learned behaviors can be changed, eliminating this barrier to progress. If fears are beliefs and beliefs are based on perception, you can eliminate your fears by changing your perceptions.
Handling fear is a two-part process that requires you to:
- Recall the origin of the specific fear with its every detail
- Focus on increasing your knowledge and awareness through facts- not opinions.
The more successful the person, the less that person has a mindset of fears. Therefore, get out of your comfort zone and surround yourself with people who will, by their nature, demand and support your transformation into the freedom of being at the wheel of your own destiny.
Rather than fear, focus and awareness will provide you the:
- Ability to recognize opportunities
- Ability to align with your purposes in life
Be fearless with your fears and take action today. It is a process that requires commitment and courage, but well worth the effort.
Was this helpful? More thought provoking entries are on the way.