An Emotion More Powerful Than Fear
Published on November 15th, 2021
Updated on March 12th, 2022
In the darkness, fear can seem gloomy and daunting. It is that space in the corner with cobwebs that I do not want to see. It feels scary and overpowering to consider even looking in that direction. The fact is, that it can take up an insurmountable space. When that space in our hearts and minds is full of fear, there is no room for any other emotion or thought. Yet, what becomes more powerful is our ability to be at terms with it and to open up to the idea of acceptance. I have the choice over how fear exists, what it tells me and what I believe.
Contrary to what fear introduces itself as, I do not have to take its word for truth. I can either choose if it will haunt me and whisper or yell the worst possible remarks. I can choose to believe that it will surely take us down and there is no way to move through it. I can also decide that I am not going to believe it is a deadly source. I can accept that fear is energy in motion that needs to pass through me and my only job is to notice its presence and let it go by. I can also hear what it is wanting me to know. Fear is not inherently good nor bad, so I can listen when it is warning me of danger, and I can see when it is irrational.
If we try to quiet fear, it will try to speak louder. If we try to resist, stuff or avoid it, it will persist, emerge, or grow. That is the natural tendency for any emotion or any energy that is not paid attention. We have control over making the choice of letting fear in the door, and watching it build, brick by brick. We also have the choice, the power, to choose to acknowledge it and thank it for how it’s served us, then let it be a passerby, just coming through the neighborhood.
Sponsored by
Get affordable online counseling. Chat with a licensed Psychiatrist.
Get StartedThe aforementioned acceptance is what is more powerful than fear. Most will try to deal with fear like it’s a hot potato, feeling out of control. When I can interface with fear, is when acceptance becomes possible for me. I see it. I let it know. I thank it for the wisdom it has and it’s best attempts to help me. I also show it that I can be trusted and that it can stop running on all cylinders, proving exhaustion is the only subsequence. Getting to this state of mind takes time, patience and effort.
I may start by noticing a psychological response, that will likely be read as negative thoughts or a sensation in my chest, perhaps tension in my shoulders. From there, I can see that I am being alerted that something is wrong or I’m reverberating an echo of the past. It could sound like something is not right or I remember this feeling and experience that turned out painfully in my past. It may be a challenge to notice the body and how it reacts to these triggers. This is the next place to start acknowledging fear’s presence. I can feel when fear comes on when A, B or C happen. I can start to identify what brings it on and how I feel physically. Then, I start the become quicker at seeing patterns and learning to allow fear to be present with me.
Fear is not out to hurt me. Fear is a shift in energy within the body that gives us information. I can name it and give it a personification of sorts that will help to distinguish it from myself. This allows me to hear the difference in my voice from fear’s voice. I can configure what I need at this moment to keep moving forward in a gentle and kind way toward myself and others. I can give myself what I need, as I am the one responsible for my responses to the emotions that arise within me. Accepting that fear is a normal part of being human, brings me closer to the power I can obtain over it.
At the end of the day, fear may have shown up in one form or fashion, big or small. It may have been slight anxiety about a meeting or feeling petrified about a relational problem. I can exert change here, when I decide to look at fear a little differently. I can respond in a softer way, allowing it some room, then giving myself what it is I need in that moment. Fear can become right-sized again. It can become an old, wise friend who has been there to help me all along. I can then regain my sense of manageability over life.
Sponsored by
Get affordable online counseling. Chat with a licensed Psychiatrist.
Get Started
Leave A Reply