Halloween—a day when fear takes centre stage—offers the perfect reminder of how we can learn to embrace our own fears.
Fear is mostly learned, hence the reason we each fear different things, our levels of fear vary, and we react differently to our fears. An indicator that fear is learned is if a toddler is alone beside a swimming pool. The chances of the child going into the water are very high. Similarly, if a toddler is near a fireplace or stove, they must be watched carefully; otherwise, they will be drawn to touch the heat.
Children, for the most part, are born fearless. How many times have you had to warn your child to take care as they approached a dangerous situation?
We are also born with a desire to be inquisitive, tempered by a natural desire to survive. If a toddler goes into the water, they will naturally want to float, if they touch the heat they will immediately ask for help.
Therefore, if fear is learned, then it can be unlearned. Or certainly minimised - which is where treatments such as immersion therapy, desensitisation, and similar methods come into play.
It takes courage to overcome fear because it is our strongest emotion, for it is fear that keeps us safe from harm. I have been fortunate enough to meet many heroes in my line of work. Not one of them did not feel fear when they completed their heroic action. However, what they all had was the ability to push through the fear and use the energy from the adrenaline that came with their fear.
Additionally, our brains are wired to run in neural pathways, patterns of behaviour, a known structure. When events occur that take us out of our comfort zone then fear is introduced to encourage us to get back to the known. We must resist that urge if we want to survive.
Fear is what keeps us all from advancing - fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of harm, fear of what others might say, fear of being labelled, fear of.... Worry is nothing more than a fear of the future.
To adapt to our ever-changing world, it is imperative that we face our fears, that we embrace them, and that we use fear for what it was designed to do, to manage our risk. For that is what fear truly is, a risk management tool designed to keep us safe from harm.
We will always have fear and we need fear to survive. Yet, you can indeed fear less. And, the more that you fear less, the greater the ability to become fearless.
Today, do that one thing that you fear. Whether it is reaching out to someone who you think might be struggling, whether it is seeking help for yourself, or perhaps it is just getting out of bed. You are a hero, for you are still here.
Become a real-life hero and take on your fear, because we are all born to survive. Feel the fear, embrace it, and become fearless. The rewards are incredible.
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Managing Fear!