An Ember to Remember: FEARLESS
Fear is a natural emotion and expression. From a psychological and biological standpoint, fear is instinctive behavior that alerts us to possible danger or a critical need to be attentive. Ultimately, fear is the starting point for a FIGHT or FLIGHT response.
Fear assists us with identifying what specific place, person, or thing is causing us to be timid, intimidated, or move us to drawback and retreat as a form of defense. Fear also assists us in orchestrating or constructing ways to remove the fear within, in front, or around us by contending with it head-on, be it physical, emotional, mental, and yes, even spiritual. When on high alert and with good judgment, fear can serve as a source in our lives, either standing before it to become PARALYZED in life or walking right through it to PROGRESS in life – the latter should be the preference for us all.
Though fear is often frowned upon or deemed weak, this instinctive psychological and biological behavior can serve as a building block for assessing where it stems from in our lives. Where fear is not identified and challenged, it can cause us to become stagnant in life — relationally, financially, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and so on. By assessing the root of fear in our lives, we can push ourselves to overcome the fear(s) that attempt destabilize or prevent us from progressing.
Typical Fears vs. Extreme Fears (Phobias)
To reiterate, fear is a natural, instinctive behavior and response to something that poses a threat, form of danger, or challenging situation or circumstance to attempt to discourage us. There are typical and even normalized fears that are common and understandable among people. There are many commonly shared fears, such as those related to animals and insects, extreme heights, dangerous weather, and public speaking, just to name a few. Many who have challenged themselves have pushed past such fears.
There is then an extreme form of fear known as a phobia. John Hopkins Medicine defines a phobia as an irrational, uncontrollable, and lasting fear of an object, situation, or activity. Extreme levels of phobia can sometimes cause people to have a panic attack even when no real threat or danger is presented (weblink). Extreme phobias can be individuals who fear houses (domatophobia), cooking (mageirocophobia), water (aquaphobia), hair (trichophobia), books (bibliophobia), etc. There are also many other phobias. Specifically, observing individuals who are clinically diagnosed with a phobia or an extreme form of fear – a greater level of assistance and resources are needed to serve them adequately.
Most fears and phobias are derived from life-altering traumatizing experiences where people are directly involved in some form of abuse (mental, emotional, physical, financial), close enough to witness, taught, and even sometimes manipulated to believe. Fear can also be rooted in what one did not receive, learn, or experience. Though there is a list of many other circumstances and situations to mention regarding traumatic experiences in one’s life, these are just a few to recognize. Fear on any level, whether it’s considered a typical fear or phobia, requires confrontation, support and resources to overcome.
The Scope of Walking Out Fear – IDENTIFY
To identify where a progressive form of fear, timidity, or intimidation is in our lives is to determine its root and underlying cause – its DNA. As previously mentioned, fear can destabilize an individual. To know what one fears, one must adequately be able to identify the fear. The earlier section of this article notes how we all possess psychological and biological behavioral instincts that alert us to a FLIGHT or FIGHT response. These responses could be through people pleasing (“always” doing what others do), not being able to make firm decisions, shying away or avoiding specific conversations, consistent procrastination, environments, and sometimes even people, the "abnormal need" to try to control everything or everyone, and the list can go on. Again, many of these traits and characteristics people develop are rooted in past experiences, from childhood to adulthood. From rejection, being raised in poverty, witnessing or experiencing abuse, being diagnosed with a disability (physical and mental), and everything else that can be named – fear can progress in our lives if not appropriately confronted and challenged.
Identifying fear also addresses the “belief” of this fear. What we believe, we will feed, entertain, and rehearse even if none of the “thoughts/beliefs” we consistently choose to meditate on come to fruition. As we learn to challenge our fears, we must honestly assess and determine what measurements we need to take to gain the mental and emotional capacity to overcome these fears.
A Willingness to Do It – Walk Out Fear
The most straightforward way to overcome fear is to confront it – specifically, challenge it. As we challenge ourselves to tackle these fears, we allow room for the proper guidance, counsel, and wisdom to overcome mindsets, behaviors, and beliefs that have delayed, debilitated, deceived, and blocked our progress. It’s the WILLINGNESS to take a step forward, figuratively and literally – one step at a time. Even when there is pushback, keep moving forward.
Though this is easier written than done, progress or forward movement should always be the goal in one’s life, even if the progress is a simple task, a small chore, or a new way of thinking and executing things that may take a while – walk it out!
Remain vigilant and cognizant, but DO NOT allow fear to constrict you -- walk it out, one step at a time!
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Courage was never really a coward.
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